AP Psychology 5.3 Explaining & Classifying Psychological Disorders

DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

To describe, predict, and treat disorders

Psychological Disorder

A syndrome classified by a significant clinical disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior

Dysfunctional

Interfere with normal day to day life negatively

Distressful

The person and others fell pain and discomfort associated with their emotions, thoughts or behaviors

Dangerous

Causes harm to self or others

The Medical Model

Psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and in come cases cured

Biological influences

Evolution, individual genes, brain structure & chemistry

Psychological influences

Stress, trauma, learned helplessness, mood related perceptions, & memories

Social-cultural influences

Roles, expectations, definitions of normality and disorder

Cognitive Etiology

Dysfunctional or maladaptive thoughts

Behavioral Etiology

Conditioned emotional responses

Biological Etiology

Genes vulnerable to developing mental disorders

Insanity Defense

Legal discrimination of whether someone was aware of their own actions to be held responsible for their behavior

McNaughton Rule

a rule determining insanity, whether the defendant knew what they were doing or if it was wrong