Clinical Psychology

Abnormal Psychology

The study of unusual behavior, thoughts, and emotions that may indicate a psychological disorder.

Clinical Psychology

A field focused on diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders using evidence-based therapeutic techniques.

DSM-5-TR

A standardized manual used to classify and diagnose mental disorders based on specific criteria.

ICD

A global diagnostic tool used to classify diseases and mental health conditions, including behavioral and neurological disorders.

Stigma

Negative stereotypes about people with mental illness that lead to discrimination and discourage help-seeking.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A condition with persistent, excessive worry about many things, often accompanied by restlessness, fatigue, and sleep issues.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

A structured therapy that helps people recognize and change negative thought patterns and behaviors.

Exposure Therapy

A technique that involves facing fears gradually in a safe setting to reduce anxiety over time.

Person-Centered Therapy

A supportive therapy where the therapist provides acceptance and empathy, allowing clients to explore and grow.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A medical treatment for severe depression that uses brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to activate brain areas involved in mood regulation.

Antidepressants

Medications that increase brain chemicals like serotonin or norepinephrine to improve mood in depression.

Antipsychotic Medications

Drugs used to reduce symptoms of severe mental illness like hallucinations and delusions.

Lithium

A mood stabilizer commonly used to treat bipolar disorder by reducing manic and depressive episodes.

Therapeutic Alliance

The trust and collaboration between a therapist and client, which supports positive treatment outcomes.

Nonmaleficence

The ethical principle of doing no harm to clients.

Fidelity

Ethical responsibility to maintain trust and honesty with clients.

Respect for People's Rights & Dignity

Upholding a client’s confidentiality, privacy, and autonomy in therapy.

Integrity

An ethical principle that requires therapists to be honest, responsible, and act with strong moral values in all professional roles.

Biological Perspective

Explains mental disorders as the result of genetics, brain chemistry, or structural problems in the brain.

Behavioral Perspective

Says mental disorders develop through learned behaviors and reinforcement from the environment.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Views psychological issues as rooted in unconscious conflicts, often formed during childhood.

Humanistic Perspective

Suggests disorders happen when people are blocked from reaching their full potential or don’t feel accepted.

Cognitive Perspective

Focuses on how distorted or negative thoughts contribute to mental health problems.

Evolutionary Perspective

Says some traits causing distress today may have once helped with survival.

Sociocultural Perspective

Explores how culture, community, and social expectations affect mental health.

Eclectic Approach

A flexible method that combines different therapy styles to fit a client’s needs.

Biopsychosocial Model

Explains mental illness as caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social influences.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A theory that mental illness appears when a person with a genetic risk experiences major stress.

Panic Disorder

Sudden episodes of intense fear that include physical symptoms like chest pain or dizziness.

Specific Phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a specific thing (like spiders or flying) that causes people to avoid it.

Acrophobia

A specific phobia involving fear of heights.

Arachnophobia

A specific phobia involving fear of spiders.

Agoraphobia

Fear of being in public places where escape might be difficult, often leads to avoidance of crowds or travel.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Intense fear of social or performance situations due to fear of embarrassment or judgment.

Taijin Kyofusho (TKS)

A cultural disorder in Japan involving fear of offending or embarrassing others through appearance or behavior.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A condition with intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and ritual behaviors (compulsions) that try to reduce anxiety.

Common Obsessions

Repetitive, unwanted thoughts — like fear of germs, harming others, or needing perfect symmetry.

Common Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors — like handwashing, checking locks, or counting — done to ease anxiety.

Hoarding Disorder

Anxiety-related disorder where people feel a strong need to keep items and feel distress when discarding them.

Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders

Disorders that develop in response to traumatic or stressful events (e.g., PTSD).

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A lasting mental health condition caused by trauma, with symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance.

Ataque de Nervios

A cultural stress reaction in Latin communities that includes crying, shouting, trembling, or aggression.

Major Depressive Disorder

A disorder marked by at least two weeks of deep sadness, loss of interest, and other symptoms like sleep and appetite changes.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

A chronic form of depression with less intense but long-lasting symptoms, often over two years.

Cognitive Triad

A pattern of negative thinking about the self, the world, and the future, often seen in depression.

Bipolar I Disorder

Involves extreme mood swings, including at least one full manic episode and possible depression.

Bipolar II Disorder

Includes depression and hypomania, a less intense form of mania that does not cause full impairment.

Mania

A period of abnormally high energy, mood, and activity levels, with impulsivity and risky behavior.

Depressive Episode

A period of low mood, low energy, and loss of interest or pleasure in most activities.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Disorders that start in childhood and affect brain development, learning, behavior, and social skills.

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

A condition with trouble focusing, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior that affects school or work.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A developmental disorder with difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

A group of disorders involving unhealthy eating habits or preoccupations with food, weight, or body shape.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder with intense fear of gaining weight and severe restriction of food, even when underweight.

Bulimia Nervosa

A disorder with repeated episodes of binge eating followed by purging through vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Severe mental illnesses involving distorted thinking, emotions, and behavior — including hallucinations or delusions.

Schizophrenia

A serious disorder where people may have delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and lack of emotion.

Positive Symptoms (Schizophrenia)

Symptoms that add something, like hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized speech or behavior.

Negative Symptoms (Schizophrenia)

Symptoms that involve loss, such as reduced emotion, motivation, or speech.

Delusions

False beliefs that are strongly held despite clear evidence, such as thinking people are out to harm you.

Hallucinations

Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t really there — most commonly hearing voices.

Disorganized Thinking

Thoughts that jump around or don’t make sense, often shown in confused or jumbled speech.

Disorganized Motor Behavior

Unusual or unpredictable body movements or postures, like agitation or complete stillness (catatonia).

Flat Affect

Lack of emotional expression in voice, face, and behavior even in emotional situations.

Dopamine Hypothesis

The theory that too much dopamine activity in the brain may be related to symptoms of schizophrenia.

Dissociative Disorders

Mental disorders involving disruptions in memory, identity, or awareness, often linked to trauma.

Dissociative Amnesia

Inability to recall important personal info, usually related to trauma or stress.

Dissociative Fugue

A form of dissociative amnesia where a person may travel or wander and forget their identity.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A disorder where a person has two or more distinct identities or personality states, often with memory gaps.

Personality Disorders

Enduring patterns of thinking and behavior that are inflexible and cause distress or problems in life.

Cluster A Personality Disorders

Involve odd or eccentric behaviors, such as paranoia or social withdrawal.

Paranoid Personality Disorder

Distrust and suspicion of others without clear reason.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Prefers being alone, shows little emotion, and avoids relationships.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Unusual beliefs or behaviors and discomfort in close relationships.

Cluster B Personality Disorders

Involve dramatic, emotional, or unpredictable behaviors.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Disregard for others’ rights, lying, rule-breaking, and lack of remorse.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Intense emotions, unstable relationships, and fear of abandonment.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Overly emotional, attention-seeking behavior and need to be the center of attention.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Exaggerated self-importance, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

Cluster C Personality Disorders

Involve anxious and fearful thinking or behavior.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Extreme social discomfort and fear of rejection, leading to isolation.

Dependent Personality Disorder

Strong need to be taken care of and fear of being alone.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Rigid need for order, perfection, and control that interferes with flexibility and relationships.

Deinstitutionalization

The shift from long-term psychiatric hospitals to community-based mental health care.

Evidence-Based Interventions

Treatments that are supported by research to be effective and safe.

Cognitive Therapy

A type of therapy that helps people recognize and change faulty or distorted thinking.

Maladaptive Thinking

Unhelpful thought patterns that worsen emotional or behavioral problems.

Cognitive Restructuring

The process of identifying and changing negative thoughts into more balanced ones.

Cognitive Triad

A pattern of thinking in depression involving negative views of the self, the world, and the future.

Free Association

Therapy method where clients say whatever comes to mind to uncover unconscious thoughts.

Dream Interpretation

Analyzing dreams to reveal hidden thoughts or unresolved conflicts.

Group Therapy

A therapist-led session involving multiple clients who share experiences and support each other.

Individual Therapy

One-on-one treatment between a therapist and a client.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Accepting and supporting a client without judgment, no matter what they say or do.

Active Listening

A therapist technique involving full attention, repeating, and summarizing to show understanding.

Cultural Humility

The practice of recognizing and respecting each client’s cultural background and experiences.

Problem-Focused Coping

Dealing with stress by taking action to change or eliminate the source of the stress.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Managing emotional responses to stress when the source can’t be changed.

Therapeutic Alliance

The collaborative and trusting relationship between a therapist and their client that improves treatment success.