KEY TERMS PS280 FINAL

Dissociative Disorders

Psychological conditions characterized by a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory. These disorders can lead to a lack of awareness of one's surroundings or sense of self.

• ex: a person with dissociative identity disorder (DID) may not remember events that occurred while another identity was present

Conversion Disorder

a condition where a person experiences physical symptoms that suggest a neurological or other medical condition, but cannot be explained by physical means

• ex: after a traumatic event, Maya temporarily lost her ability to speak

Melancholia

severe depression often characterized by deep sadness, loss of interest, and emotional distress that can significantly impair daily functioning.

• ex: patients melancholia was evident through his slowed movements and complete disinterest in formerly enjoyable activities

Anhedonia

inability to experience pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable

• ex: despite attending her favourite concert, Jenna felt nothing, an example of anhedonia

Positive and Negative Symptoms (Schizophrenia)

Positive: excess/distortion of normal functions (hallucinations)

Negative: reduction of normal function (flat affect)

• ex: patient’s delusions were positive symptoms, while his lack of motivation reflected negative symptoms

Avolition

Lack of motivation or initiative, negative symptom of schizophrenia

• ex: Mark was in bed for days, unable to initiate even basic hygiene tasks

Alogia

poverty of speech, characterized by short or monosyllabic replies, often indicative of a negative symptom in schizophrenia.

• Her one-word answers and long pauses were symptomatic of alogia.

Tangentiality

tendency to speak about unrelated topics during conversation or provide responses that are only loosely connected to the original question, often seen in schizophrenia.

• When asked about his job, he started talking about climate change—an example of tangentiality.

Derailment

a disorganized thought process where a person's ideas become disconnected, leading to incoherent speech. It is commonly associated with schizophrenia.

• he started on talking about sports, then jumped to outer space within 2 seconds

Loosening of Associations

Disorganized thinking where ideas lack clear connection.

Delusions of grandeur/persecution

false beliefs of greatness (grandeur) or being targeted (persecution)

• he believed he was god (grandeur) + the government was trying to kill him (persecution)

Somatic Delusions

false beliefs about one's body or physical sensations, often involving the belief that one has a serious illness or defect.

• despite medical tests, she insisted bugs were crawling under her skin

Waxy Flexibility

A condition commonly seen in catatonic states where a person's limbs can be molded into positions that remain for extended periods.

• when his arm was lifted, it stayed mid-air and did not return to a resting position.

Catatonic Symptoms

A range of motor disturbances often found in schizophrenia, characterized by abnormal movements, immobility, or extreme flexibility.

Homogeneity

uniformity within a group

Heterogeneity

Diversity within a group

• Heterogeneity refers to the presence of various elements or differences within a group, contrast to homogeneity.

Universality

The concept that certain characteristics or experiences are applicable to all individuals within a population or group

• “I thought I was the only one feeling this way about my mental health but apparently, my best friend is experiencing the same thing”

Bizarre Delusions

Unusual beliefs that are firmly held despite evidence to the contrary

• he believed his thoughts were being broadcast on TV

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A mental health disorder characterized by a consistent pattern of disregard for the rights of others, often manifested in deceitfulness, impulsivity, and lack of remorse.

• He repeatedly lied and manipulated others

Psychopathy

A personality disorder marked by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy, and remorse, as well as bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits.

PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist Revised)

A psychological assessment tool (20 questions) used to evaluate the presence of psychopathic traits in individuals, primarily through a structured interview and a review of collateral information.

• Scoring high on the PCL-R, he showed traits of callousness and deceitfulness.

La Belle Indifference

A phenomenon often observed in individuals with conversion disorder, characterized by a lack of concern or indifference to symptoms that would typically cause distress.

• she was strangely calm about her sudden paralysis and appeared unconcerned despite its severity.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A personality disorder marked by eccentric behaviours + thinking, psychotic-like symptoms (such as odd beliefs and delusions), social anxiety and discomfort

• he believed he could read minds and avoided social contact

Vaginismus

A sexual dysfunction characterized by involuntary muscle contractions around the vagina, leading to pain or discomfort during intercourse.

• She was diagnosed with vaginismus after experiencing intense pain during gynecological exams.

Dyspareunia

A sexual pain disorder involving persistent or recurrent pain during intercourse, often associated with psychological or physical factors.

Female Orgasmic Disorder

A sexual dysfunction characterized by the persistent inability to achieve orgasm despite adequate stimulation and desire.

• Despite sexual arousal, she consistently could not reach orgasm, meeting criteria for this disorder.

Sexual Aversion Disorder

A condition where individuals experience strong aversion or anxiety related to sexual activity, leading to avoidance of sexual experiences.

• Johnny avoided all forms of intimacy

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Rigid preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control.

• He insisted on doing tasks a specific way and couldn’t delegate.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

• She had to check the stove 10 times

Autogynephilia

A male's sexual arousal at the thought of himself as a female.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior, often leading to dramatic and exaggerated expressions, (also seductiveness)

• she flirted her way through the police station to avoid getting arrested often making a scene to be noticed.

Exhibitionism

A paraphilic disorder involving the exposure of one's genitals to unsuspecting strangers for sexual gratification.

• Johnny flashed someone in public, then getting turned on

Frotteurism

A paraphilic disorder characterized by sexual arousal from touching or rubbing against a non-consenting person, typically in crowded places.

• He got charged for groping a girl in public transit

Sexual Sadism

sexual arousal from inflicting pain or humiliation on others.

• He required his partner to feel pain for sexual satisfaction

Voyeurism

the practice of gaining sexual pleasure from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity.

• he was arrested after being caught spying on his neighbours undressing

Somatization

the manifestation of psychological distress through physical symptoms, often without a clear medical cause.

• Despite repeated tests, she reported chronic pain with no medical cause

Controlled Drinking

an approach to alcohol misuse focusing on moderation rather than abstinence

• The program encouraged controlled drinking rather than complete sobriety.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, characterized by flashbacks, anxiety, and avoidance of reminders of the trauma.

• after surviving a crash, he experienced nightmares and panic attacks

Community Treatment Disorder (CTO)

a legal document allowing for involuntary outpatient treatment of individuals with severe mental health conditions to promote adherence to treatment. (patients can be released and received treatment and care outside the hospital, in the community)

• He was released under a CTO requiring medication compliance.

Non-representative Samples

samples that do not accurately reflect the characteristics of the population from which they are drawn, potentially leading to biased results.

• the study used college students only

Prevalence Rates

the percentage of individuals in a population who have a specific disorder at a given time.

Reliability

the consistency of a measure or test over time

• the questionnaire had high reliability, meaning that it gave similar results on repeated testing

Validity

the degree to which a test measures what it purports to measure, demonstrating accuracy in assessing a particular construct or criterion.

• If a depression scale also measures anxiety, its validity is questionable.

Factitious Disorder

a mental disorder in which a person deliberately produces or exaggerates symptoms of illness to assume the sick role.

• She repeatedly faked illness and sought medical treatment

Dialectial Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

• developed by Marsha Linehan

• Intergrates CBT with mindfulness and acceptance strategies

• originally designed for BPD

• emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness

  • learning to accept feelings without acting on them and developing skills to cope with difficult emotions.

DBT vs CBT

• CBT: identifies and changes unhelpful thoughts and behaviours

  • thoughts → feelings → behaviours

• DBT: learn to accept yourself while managing emotions

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

• Time-limited, evidence-based

• focuses on improving a persons relationship and social functioning to alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions

• Focuses on relationships and social roles

• Effective for MDD, grief, interpersonal disputes, and role transitions

• Enhances communication and social functioning

Effect of Cultural Background on Abnormal Behaviour

• Culture shapes symptom expression and help-seeking behavior

• Some disorders are culture-bound

• Stigma levels vary by culture, affecting diagnosis and treatment

  • Eg: women in certain parts of the world can’t express psychological pain properly, may come out physically instead

• Clinicians must consider cultural context in assessment

Neurophysiological Explanations of Disorders

• Focus on brain structures, neurotransmitters, and neural circuits

  • Schizophrenia: dopamine dysregulation, enlarged ventricles

  • Depression: serotonin/norepinephrine deficits, HPA axis dysregulation

  • Anxiety: overactivation of the amygdala

Effect of Neurotransmitters on Disorders

• Neurotransmitters play a crucial role in regulating mood and behavior, with imbalances linked to various mental health disorders.

  • Dopamine: Schizophrenia (excess), Parkinson’s (deficit)

  • Serotonin: Depression (deficit), anxiety (varied effects), OCD (deficit)

  • Norepinephrine: involved in mood, attention and arousal

Relationship between APD and Psychopathy

• Overlap, but not identical

• Psychopathy includes affective traits (e.g., lack of empathy), APD is more behavioral

  • Psychopathy encompasses emotional traits, such as a lack of empathy, whereas APD focuses more on observable behaviors.

• All psychopaths have APD; not all with APD are psychopaths

• PCL-R helps distinguish the two

Bill C-30

• replaced outdated terms like “insanity” with Not Criminally Responsible on account of Mental Disorder (NCR-MD)

• Created legal criteria for determining if someone is unfit to stand trial

• allowed courts to order treatment for mentally unfit accused to help them become fit to stand trial

• introduced review boards to oversee NCR-MD and unfit cases with mandatory annual reviews

• shifted focus to public safety, individuals are only held if they pose a significant threat to others

Positive and Negative Reinforcement

• positive : add a pleasant stimulus (reward) to increase behaviour

• negative: remove unpleasant stimulus to increase behaviour

  • both increase likelihood of behaviour repeating

  • NOT the same as punishment

4 types of Psychotherapy integration

1. Technical eclecticism – uses techniques across therapies

2. Theoretical integration – merges underlying theories

3. Common factors approach – emphasizes shared therapeutic elements

4. Assimilative integration – grounded in one theory, incorporates others

Sex Reassignment Surgery

• For gender dysphoria treatment

• Often preceded by hormone therapy and psychological evaluation

• May involve multiple procedures: chest, genital, facial

• Outcomes improve with support and mental health care

Rorschach Test

• Projective inkblot test

• Analyzes perceptions to uncover unconscious thoughts

  • responses are analyzed to asses personality characteristics, emotional functioning and to identify mental disorders

• Controversial validity, but still used in some settings

• Interpretation focuses on content and determinants (e.g., form, color)

MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)

• A standardized psychometric test used to assess personality traits and psychopathology.

  • It consists of several hundred true-false questions to evaluate various psychological conditions.

• Contains validity scales to detect exaggeration/faking

• Assesses psychopathology and personality structure

• Used in clinical, forensic, and employment contexts

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

• Projective test with ambiguous pictures

• Patient tells a story about each image

• Reveals themes in personality, needs, conflicts

• Useful in assessing motives and interpersonal dynamics

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III)

• Measures adult intelligence

• Yields Full-Scale IQ, Verbal IQ, Performance IQ

• Subtests include working memory, processing speed

• Used in clinical and neuropsychological evaluations

Canadian Psychology Task Force – Evidence-Based Practice

A set of guidelines developed to promote the integration of the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values in psychological practice. It aims to enhance the effectiveness and quality of psychological services in Canada.

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

A sexual dysfunction characterized by a persistent or recurrent deficiency or absence of sexual thoughts and desire for sexual activity.

Transvestic Disorder

A paraphilic disorder involving intense sexual arousal from cross-dressing or wearing clothing typically associated with the opposite gender.

Erectile Disorder

A sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during sexual activity.

Gender Dysphoria

A psychological condition where individuals experience significant distress or discomfort due to a mismatch between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth.