Chapter 14: Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal Psychology (Psychological Disorders)

The study of harmful dysfunctional behavior, which is judged to be atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, and unjustifiable

Early Theories

Abnormal behavior involved evil spirits trying to escape from an afflicted individual, often leading to the use of exorcism as a remedy

Ancient Treatments

Cruel practices such as confining individuals like animals, physical beatings, burning, castration, mutilation, and attempting to replace their blood with animal blood

Medical Perspective (Moral Treatment)

Emerged in the 1800s, the concept that psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and cured through therapy, which may include treatment in a psychiatric hospital (homosexuality was once classified as a mental illness)

Medical Model

Maintains credibility today, due to its recognition of genetically influenced abnormalities and contributions from biochemistry

Biopsychosocial Approach

Considers the combination of biological, psychological, and social factors as contributing to development of disorders

The D’s of Psychological Disorders

Common characteristics of disorders, including deviance (behavior that differs from social norms), dysfunction (impairment in functioning), distress (emotional or physical discomfort), danger (potential harm to oneself or others)

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Perspective

Focuses on internal, unconscious drives

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on the failure to strive to one’s potential or being out of touch with one’s feelings

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on reinforcement history and the environment

Cognitive Perspective

Focuses on irrational, dysfunctional thoughts or ways of thinking

Sociocultural Perspective

Focuses on dysfunctional society influences

Biomedical/Neuroscience Perspective

Focuses on organic problems, biomedical imbalances, and genetic predispositions

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR)

A reference book that classifies disorders and describes their symptoms, providing diagnostic criteria and codes; guides medical diagnoses and determines eligibility for treatments, but does not explain causes or possible cures for disorders (medical model bias)

5 Axes of the DSM-IV

Used to provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s mental health; eliminated from DSM-V to help clarify relationships between different disorders

Axis V

Global assessment of functioning, which rates an individual’s level of functioning on a scale from 10 to 100; 10 indicating danger to self and others & 100 indicating superior functioning in a wide range of activities

Neurotic Disorders

A category of mental disorders characterized by distressing emotional symptoms, but can still function in society and act rationally

Psychotic Disorders

A category of mental disorders characterized by a loss of contact with reality, experiencing distorted perceptions, irrational behaviors, and impaired social functioning

People First Language

Referring to individuals with disabilities as people first, rather than defining them by their condition; labels can negatively affect perception and result in self-fulfilling prophecies; used in promoting effective treatment of psychological disorders

Anxiety Disorders

The most common group of mental health conditions in the US, characterized by excessive worry, fear, uncertainty, or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety; the patient fears something awful will happen to them

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

An anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal

Panic Disorder

An anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread, in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations

Phobic Disorder

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

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, intrusive thoughts or obsessions, often accompanied by repetitive behaviors or compulsions; unusually high activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (linked to serotonin)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and insomnia that lingers for 4+ weeks after a traumatic experience

Somatoform Disorder

A psychological disorder characterized by distressing bodily symptoms that cannot be fully explained by medical or physical causes, often manifested through psychological distress

Conversion Disorder

A rare somatoform disorder in which a person experiences neurological symptoms, such as paralysis, blindness, or seizures, that cannot be explained by a physiological or medical evaluation

Hypochondriasis (Illness Anxiety Disorder)

A somatoform disorder characterized by excessive fear about having a serious illness, in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of a severe disease

Pain Disorder

A somatoform disorder characterized by persistent and severe pain that cannot be explained by medical or physical evaluation

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

A somatoform disorder characterized by obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws or defects in one’s appearance

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A psychological disorder appearing by age, characterized by one or more of three key symptoms: extreme inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity

Post-Traumatic Growth

Positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely challenging circumstances, life crises, or trauma

Dissociative Disorders

Disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities that may take control of a person’s consciousness at different times (formerly called multiple personality disorder)

Dissociative Amnesia

A dissociative disorder in which a person is unable to remember essential details from their past, which occurs when certain information is blocked out due to trauma

Dissociative Fugue

A dissociative disorder in which a person temporarily loses their sense of personal identity and impulsively wander away from their homes

Mood Disorders

Psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes or disturbances in mood; females are twice as likely as men to suffer from these due to hormonal shifts

Major Depressive Disorder

A mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or a medical condition, 2+ weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of worthlessness, diminished interest in most activities, sleep disturbance, and inappropriate guilt

Mania

A mood disorder marked by a 1+ week period of an abnormally hyperactive, elevated, irritable, and wildly optimistic state (norepinephrine present in abundant amounts and serotonin)

Bipolar Disorder

A mood disorder in which a person alternates between extreme mood swings of mania (overexcited mood, increased energy) and depression (hopelessness, low energy); likely to develop through genetics

Schizophrenia

A group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking (breakdown in selective attention), disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions; found in every culture (slower development/process = unlikely recovery)

Positive Symptoms

The addition of abnormal experiences or behaviors that are not normally present, which may include hallucination, delusions, incoherent thinking, and disorganized behavior

Delusions

False and irrational beliefs that may accompany psychotic disorders, often involving misconceptions about oneself, others, or the world; associated with increased dopamine

Negative Symptoms

The decrease or loss of normal functioning, which may include diminished emotional expression, reduced motivation, social withdrawal, and decreased speech output

Cognitive Symptoms

Difficulties with thinking, reasoning, memory, and other cognitive processes that impact functioning in daily life, such as problems with attention, concentration, memory, and processing speed

Personality Disorders

Psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning, often accompanied by depression

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A Cluster B personality disorder in which a person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even towards friends and family members; less autonomic system arousal

Cluster A Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by eccentric behavior and distorted thinking patterns, including paranoia, suspicion, weird thinking, and social detachment

Cluster B Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by dramatic and emotional behavior, including narcissism, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, difficulty empathizing with others, and unstable relationships

Cluster C Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by anxious and fearful behaviors, including excessive fear of rejection or abandonment, difficulty making decisions without reassurance, dependence, and control issues

Depression

A common mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness; symptoms include weight changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death (compared to males, nearly 2x as many females have been diagnosed); found in every culture (decreased norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

A type of depression that occurs at a specific time of the year, typically during fall and winter when daylight is shorter; believed to be related to changes in light exposure, which disrupts the body’s internal clock and neurotransmitters

Hallucinations

Sensory perceptions that occur without external stimuli

Positive Explanatory Style

A habitual pattern of explaining experiences in one’s life in an optimistic and empowering manner; tend to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors & negative outcomes to external factors

Negative Explanatory Style

A habitual pattern of explaining experiences in one’s life in a pessimistic and self-blaming manner; tend to attribute negative outcomes to internal factors

Rosenhan Study

Conducted in 1973, demonstrated flaws in psychiatric diagnoses by showing how individuals fakes symptoms to gain admission to psychiatric hospitals and were diagnosed with mental disorders despite behaving normally

Munchausen Syndrome

A factitious disorder characterized by deliberate exaggeration of physical or psychological symptoms in oneself, typically for assuming the sick role and receiving attention from others

Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome

A factitious disorder in which a caregiver fabricates or induces physical or psychological symptoms in another person, often a child, to assume the role of a caregiver and receive sympathy from medical professionals

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)

A Cluster B personality disorder in which a person has pervasive patterns of attention-seeking behavior, excessive emotionality, and a need for validation from others

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

A Cluster B personality disorder in which a person experiences instability in mood, emotion, behavior, self-image, and interpersonal relationships; may engage in self-destructive behaviors, chronic feelings of emptiness, and fear of abandonment (dysfunction in serotonin and dopamine)

DSM-IV vs DSM-V

Structural changes, revisions to diagnostic criteria, elimination of axes, introduction of new disorders, and modifications to existing disorders to reflect updated research and clinical understanding

Mental Disorder

A significant behavioral or psychological pattern causing distress, impairment, or increased risk of harm to oneself or others

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI)

A class of antidepressants commonly used to treat mental health conditions (depression, anxiety disorders, and certain mood disorders); increases levels of serotonin in the synaptic space by blocking its reuptake (such as Prozac)