(4) 5.3 Intro to Psychological Disorders

Psychological Disorders

A disturbance in people’s thoughts, emotions, or behavior that causes distress or suffering and impairs their daily lives.

4 D’s of Mental Disorders

Framework for evaluating mental disorders: Deviance, Distress, Dysfunction, Danger.

Deviance

Condition of being different, extreme, or unusual in behavior or thought.

Distress

The experience of unpleasant and upsetting feelings by the individual with the disorder.

Dysfunction

Interference with a person’s daily life due to the disorder.

Danger

Potential risk of harm to themselves or others posed by the disorder.

Medical Model

The perspective that psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and cured through hospital-based treatment.

Diathesis-stress Model

A model explaining that genetic predisposition combines with environmental stressors to influence the development of psychological disorders.

Biopsychosocial Approach

An approach that views psychological disorders as a result of the interaction between biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors.

DSM-5-TR

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision, a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders.

David Rosenhan Study

A 1973 experiment analyzing the effects of labeling by sending healthy individuals into psychiatric hospitals under the pretense of having hallucinations.

Benefits of Labels

Facilitate communication about cases, help in understanding underlying causes, and discern effective treatment programs.

Cons of Labels

Can bias perceptions and potentially alter reality regarding the individuals diagnosed.