unit 8

psychological disorder

syndrome marked by clinically significant disturbance in individual’s cognition, emotion, regulation, or behaviour

what does disturbed cognition result in

dysfunctional/maladaptive behaviours

can definition of significant disturbance change over time

yes, homosexuality used to be considered disorder but is now not

trephining

drilling holes into skulls to release evil spirits and cure mental disorders

mental illnesses during Middle Ages

believed to be due to devil, needed to drive out demons

medical model

psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and cured through hospitals

biopsychosocial approach to mental illness

biological, psychological, social-cultural influences result in behaviours, thoughts, feelings

diathesis-stress (vulnerability-stress) model

genetic predispositions combine with environmental stressors to increase or decrease likelihood of developing psychological disorder

epigenetics

environmental influences on gene expression that occur without DNA change

how do epigenetics support diathesis-stress model

gene will be expressed in one environment but not another, difference between developing mental disorder

why do clinicians classify psychological disorders

orders and describes symptoms, predicts future, suggests treatment, prompts research

dsm-5

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition

what is dsm-5 used for

classifying psychological disorders

criticisms of dsm-5

• brings almost every behaviour into psychology

• overlabels normal responses

benefit of labelling disorders with dsm-5

diagnosis and treatment are a relief, can bring improved functioning

how do labels mislead

• view people differently once labelled

• can change reality by making us look for evidence that confirms our view

• can be self fulfilling

perspectives on broadening criteria of adhd

• can diagnose and treat people with symptoms

• may turn normal child behaviour into disorder

adhd symptoms

inattention/distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsivity

school and adhd

argue that children are not meant to sit still for hours

is adhd real

yes, real neurobiological disorder

adhd biological symptoms

abnormal brain structure/activity patterns, future risky/antisocial behaviour

how is adhd treated

stimulant medication, behaviour therapy, aerobic exercise

do disorders increase risk of violence

no

common risk factor for mental illness

poverty

protective factors against mental illness

several different factors

anxiety disorders

psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persisting anxiety or maladaptive behaviours that reduce anxiety

social anxiety disorder

intense fear and avoidance of social situations, formerly called social phobia

what are people with social anxiety disorder likely to do

avoid going out

generalized anxiety disorder

person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in state of autonomic nervous system arousal

other symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder

• out of control, agitated feelings

• excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for 6 months or more

• jittery, agitated, sleep deprived

free floating

not linked to specific cause

effects of generalized anxiety disorder

• cannot identify or relieve cause

• accompanied by depressed mood

• may lead to physical problems

panic disorder

unpredictable episodes of intense dread (panic attacks) where person experiences terror and frightening sensations

how do panic attacks lead to agoraphobia

avoid situations where panic could strike, so avoid going out

agoraphobia

fear/avoidance of public situations from which escape might be difficult

phobia

anxiety disorder marked by persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of specific object, activity, or situation

specific phobias

focus on animals, insects, heights, blood, or close spaces

obsessive compulsive disorder

unwanted obsessions and/or compulsions

obsessions

unwanted repetitive thoughts

compulsions

unwanted repetitive behaviours

when do rituals and behaviours become abnormal

when they persistently interfere with daily life and cause distress

other disorders related to ocd

• hoarding disorder

• body dysmorphic disorder

• trichotillomania

• excoriation disorder

hoarding disorder

cluttering one’s space with acquired possessions that one can’t let go

body dysmporphic disorder

preoccupation with perceived body defects

trichotillomania

hair pulling

excoriation disorder

excessive skin picking

post traumatic stress disorder

disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, hyper vigilance, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia for four weeks or more after traumatic experience

factors that impact development of ptsd

some people have more sensitive emotion processing limbic system

stimulus generalization

once a response has been conditioned, stimuli similar to conditioned stimulus also elicits similar responses

how does generalization explain anxiety/ocd/ptsd

person experiences fearful event and develops fears of similar events

reinforcement

strengthens behaviour it follows

how does reinforcement explain anxiety/ocd/ptsd

reinforcement maintains learned fears/anxieties, can lead to repetitive behaviours

cognition

thoughts, memories, interpretations, expectations

how does cognition impact anxiety

past experiences shapes expectations and influences feelings and anxiety

research on cognition and anxiety

monkeys raised in lab were not afraid of snakes, became afraid once around peers raised in wild

how do genes impact anxiety

genes have been found to affect anxiety/ocd

genes and neurotransmitters

some genes influence disorders by regulating neurotransmitter levels (serotonin, glutamate)

brain structures and ocd

anterior cingulate cortex had more activity during compulsive behaviours

anterior cingulate cortex

monitors actions and checks for errors

natural selection and fears

more likely to be afraid of threats to ancestors

schizophrenia

disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, diminished emotional expression

what does schizophrenia word mean

split mind, refers to mind’s split from reality

positive and negative symptoms

• positive symptoms = inappropriate behaviours that are present

• negative symptoms = appropriate behaviours that are not present

positive symptoms schizophrenia

hallucinations, talking in disorganized/deluded way, exhibiting inappropriate behaviour

negative symptoms of schizophrenia

absence of emotions

hallucination

false sensory experiences or perceptions, like seeing something in absence of external visual stimulus

hallucinations and schizophrenia

see, feel, taste, smell things that only exist in their mind

delusion

false belief, often of persecution or grandeur

delusions and schizophrenia

people often have delusions and paranoid tendencies

selective attention

choosing what stimuli to focus attention to

selective attention and schizophrenia

schizophrenic people easily distracted by tiny unrelated stimuli

disorganized speech

positive symptom of schizophrenia

inappropriate emotions and schizophrenia

emotions are often inappropriate for situation

diminished emotions and schizophrenia

• some people enter emotionless state of no apparent feeling

• struggle to feel sympathy and compassion because cannot understand others mental states

theory of mind and schizophrenia

have impaired theory of mind, difficulty understanding facial expressions and states of mind

motor behaviour and schizophrenia

• may experience catatonia (no movement)

• may experience compulsive behaviours

chronic schizophrenia

• symptoms appear by late adolescence/early adulthood

• psychotic episodes last longer as people age

• social withdrawal common

acute schizophrenia

• can begin at any age

• often occurs in response to traumatic event

• recovery is likely

dopamine and schizophrenia

• excess number of dopamine receptors

• hyper responsive dopamine system may intensify brain signals and create positive symptoms

• antagonists lessen symptoms, agonists increase

frontal lobes and schizophrenia

some have abnormally low frontal lobe activity

ventricles/cerebral tissue and schizophrenia

enlarged, fluid filled ventricles and shrinkage/thinning of cerebral tissue

prenatal events affecting schizophrenia

mishaps during fetal development/delivery may cause schizophrenia

prenatal viral infections and schizophrenia

fetal virus infections may increase chances of schizophrenia

smoking and schizophrenia

most people with schizophrenia smoke, smoking increases vulnerability to schizophrenia

epigenetic factors and schizophrenia

environmental factors can affect genes

early warning signs of schizophrenia

social withdrawal, other abnormal behaviour

somatic symptom disorder

symptoms take somatic form without apparent physical cause

conversion disorder

unexplained neurological symptoms

illness anxiety disorder

person interprets normal sensations as symptoms of disease (hypochondriasis)

dissociative disorders

conscious awareness becomes separated from previous thoughts, memories, feelings

what can dissociative disorders result in

fugue state

dissociative identity disorder

person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities (multiple personality disorder)

psychodynamic and learning perspectives and dissociative identity disorder

• believe DID is way of coping with anxiety

• psychodynamic believes symptoms are defences against anxiety

• learning believes disorder is behaviours reinforced by anxiety reduction

personality disorders

inflexible and enduring behaviour patterns that impair social functioning

3 clusters of personality disorders

anxiety, eccentric/odd, dramatic/impulsive

anxiety (personality disorder)

fearful sensitivity (avoidant personality disorder)

eccentric/odd

emotionless disengagement (schizotypal personality disorder)

dramatic/impulsive

borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, etc

antisocial personality disorder

person exhibits lack of conscience for wrongdoing, may be aggressive and clueless

emotional intelligence and antisocial personality disorder

people with antisocial personality disorder may show lower emotional intelligence