Exam Four

Mental Health

What is psychopathology?

An illness or disorder of the mind

There are multiple different models that try to represent and determine what is the cause of a psychological disorder, known as etiology. The models are the Diathesis-Stress Model, The Twin & Genetic Studies Model, The Family Systems Model, The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Model, and Sex Differences. When we say the Disthesis-Stress Model, what do we mean?

The Diathesis-Stress Model suggests that psychological disorders develop from the interaction between a predisposed vulnerability (diathesis) and environmental stressors. This model emphasizes that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the manifestation of mental health issues.

How do we differentiate between diathesis and stress?

Diathesis refers to an individual's inherent vulnerability or predisposition to develop a psychological disorder (long-term), while stress refers to external environmental factors or challenges that may trigger the onset of the disorder (short-term).

There are multiple different models that try to represent and determine what is the cause of a psychological disorder, known as etiology. The models are the Diathesis-Stress Model, The Twin & Genetic Studies Model, The Family Systems Model, The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Model, and Sex Differences. When we say the Twin & Genetic Studies Model, what do we mean?

Shows the effect of genetics on disorders. Families with a history of mental health issues are studied to understand hereditary influences and risk factors for psychological disorders. These familial predispositions usually come in the form of mutations to neurotransmitters, brain structure, receptor sites, or the size of the brain structures.

There are multiple different models that try to represent and determine what is the cause of a psychological disorder, known as etiology. The models are the Diathesis-Stress Model, The Twin & Genetic Studies Model, The Family Systems Model, The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Model, and Sex Differences. When we say the Family Systems Model, what do we mean?

The Family Systems Model posits that psychological disorders are best understood in the context of family dynamics and relationships. It suggests that the interactions and communication patterns within a family can contribute to the development and maintenance of mental health issues. This means that families with difficult home lives puts the children and other family members at a higher risk of developing psychological disorders due to relational stressors.

There are multiple different models that try to represent and determine what is the cause of a psychological disorder, known as etiology. The models are the Diathesis-Stress Model, The Twin & Genetic Studies Model, The Family Systems Model, The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Model, and Sex Differences. When we say the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Model, what do we mean?

The Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Model emphasizes the role of cognitive processes in understanding and treating psychological disorders. It posits that negative thought patterns and behaviors can contribute to mental health issues, and by altering these cognitive distortions, individuals can improve their emotional well-being.

There are multiple different models that try to represent and determine what is the cause of a psychological disorder, known as etiology. The models are the Diathesis-Stress Model, The Twin & Genetic Studies Model, The Family Systems Model, The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Model, and Sex Differences. When we say the Sex Differences Model, what do we mean?

The Sex Differences Model examines how gender may influence the prevalence, expression, and treatment of psychological disorders. It considers biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that contribute to differences in mental health outcomes between men and women.

What type of psychological disorder are women more likely to experience?

Internalizing disorders, which include distress focused on self and is characterized by negative emotions like fear and distress.

What type of psychological disorder are men more likely to experience?

Externalizing disorders, which involve acting out and are characterized by disruptive behaviors such as aggression and antisocial behavior.

What is the big idea of etiology?

There are both biological and environmental components to mental health.

True or False:

Gender stereotypes play a key role in determining the likelihood of an individual’s possibility of having a specific psychological disorder.

True. Gender stereotypes influence societal expectations and can affect the way mental health issues manifest and are treated in individuals.

What are the big three que stions a psychologist must ask before assigning a prognosis to a paitient?

• Is the behavior or cognitive pattern typical or atypical?

• Is it Distressing?

• Is it maladaptive?

What is important about the interpretation of the question a psychologist considers that pertains to if a cognitive pattern of a paitient is typical or atypical?

The psychologist must take cultural context into account because what is deemed atypical in one region may not be atypical in another.

True or False:

All distress that an individual undertakes stems from a disorder.

False. Distress can arise from various life experiences and situations, not solely from a psychological disorder.

What do we mean when we day that a disorder must be maladaptive?

It means that the disorder significantly disrupts an individual's ability to function in daily life, impacting their social, occupational, or personal well-being.

What is an example of dysfunctionalk thinking?

memory capabilities or emotional processes are impaired.

What is a psychologist most concerned with?

If the behavior or cognitive pattern poses a risk of harm to oneself or others

What comprises diagnosable disorders?

Symptoms

What was developed by the American Psychological Association to compile known disorders for Psychologist to reference?

The diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Depending on the region of the world you are in the manual is different. The DSM is specifically for the USA.

DSM is a tool; what is a primary symptom?

A necessary symptom to receive the diagnosis, the defining symptom(s) of a disorder

DSM is a tool; what is a secondary symptom?

Typically an accompany symptom to the primary symptom, but not essential for diagnosis.

When talking about DSM what is time course?

How long the symptoms last.

True or False:

Other factors can attribute to a diagnosis such as general health conditions.

True

When looking at DSM what needs to be paid attention to?

Consider the psychosocial/environmental affects of life on the individual.

If a prognosis is less severe, then…

the individual will need occasional therapy

If the pronosis is very severe, then…

the individual may require more intensive treatment and frequent therapy sessions.

What two things does DSM not provide?

The DSM does not provide specific treatment recommendations or consider individual patient circumstances. Meaning that there is no. information on the etiology of the condition and that the each individual may experience the disorder in a unique way.

What are the pros of DSM

The DSM provides standardized criteria for diagnosis, facilitating communication among clinicians, and ensuring a consistent approach to mental health disorders.

What ar ethe cons of DSM?

The cons of the DSM include potential overdiagnosis, reinforcement of stigma, and the medicalization of normal behavior. Additionally, it may not reflect cultural differences in the expression of mental health conditions. DSM uses a categorical cutoff of symptoms to define disorders, which can lead to misdiagnosis or undervaluation of subclinical conditions.

Many disorders have a very high comorbidity rate. What does this mean?

It means that individuals with one disorder are likely to also meet the criteria for another disorder, indicating that multiple mental health conditions often occur together.

What type of approach do today’s doctors use to understanding mental health conditions. a more categorical or continum.

While traditionally categorical, there is a growing emphasis on recognizing the spectrum of symptoms patients may experience.

What is a mental health status exam?

An assessment tool for physicians to use when they believe than an individual might have a psychological disorder if there is a hesitancy to admit to it. The tool does not mean there is a definitive disorder, just that there is a possible correlation between actions and psychological disorder.

What is an unstructured assessment?

An assumption made for a psychologist, typically professional who perform this approach are not consistent in their prognosis.

What is a structured assessment?

A standardized method for evaluating a patient's psychological state, ensuring consistency in diagnosis and treatment.

What is a neuropsychological assessment?

Before fMRI, this tool was used to evaluate the likelihood of damage or impairment to the neurological structures. It assesses whether someone needs to undergo a more extensive test and is regularly used to relate an injury or damage done to a brain structure and improvement in the patients condition.

Why is the correct diagnosis important?

The correct diagnosis yields the correct treatment. If an incorrect treatment was administered it could cause severe consequences because depending on the condition certain treatments can have the opposite effect that was originally intended if the disorder is not what was diagnosed.

What characterizes an anxiety disorder?

A presence of an anxiety that is disproportionate to any perceived threat that results from the activation of the sympathetic autonomic nervous system .This can interfere with sleep, concentration, or focus of the individual.

All anxiety disorders carry the trait of anxiety, what characterizes Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Free-floating anxiety, meaning that the individual has anxiety without a specific or identifiable trigger. This persistent worry often affects daily functioning and can lead to physical symptoms.

What triggers anxiety in individuals with a specific phobia?

Exposure to a specific object, situation, or activity that provokes intense fear or anxiety responses.

What is a panic disorder characterized by?

Recurrent panic attacks, which are sudden periods of intense fear or discomfort, accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

What causes a specific phobia in an individual?

A result of classical conditioning, where the neutral stimulus of a specific object or situation becomes associated with fear through a traumatic experience.

What is social anxiety disorder?

A condition marked by an intense fear of social situations, leading to avoidance of interactions due to fear of embarrassment or judgment. Manifested in a fear of public speaking, meeting new people, or being observed in social interactions.

What characterizes obsessive compulsive disorde?

An individual needs the presence of a repetitive and intrusive though that can cause distress through dysfunctional and maladaptive coping.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is made up of two things: Obsession and Compulsion. What is an obsession?

A persistan unwanted thought that leads to emotional distress. Typically comprised of fleeting thoughts that recur and cannot be easily dismissed.

True or False:

Thoughts lead to anxiety in OCD which can be alleviated with coping.

False; coping can not alleviate persistant thoughts

Obsessive compulsive disorder is made up of two things: Obsession and Compulsion. What is a compulsion?

A ritualized repetitive behavior that the individual engaging in a specific action to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions, often leading to temporary relief. This action usually began as a coping technique and became an obsession.

How long does someone with OCD typically engage in a distress-coping ctyle?

Often for hours each day, significantly impairing daily functioning.

OCD manifest itself in many different ways. What happens to those with a hoarding disorder?

They excessively collect items and struggle to discard them, leading to clutter that interferes with daily living.

What are compulsive acts an attempt to do?

They are an attempt to alleviate anxiety caused by obsessions.

Mood disorders are associated with significant variation in mood. There are two sub categories: depressive and bipolar disorder. What is depressive disorder?

A group of mental health conditions characterized by prolonged feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities.

How long does a depressive stint last typically for someone with Major Depressive Disorder?

At least two weeks, but it can last for months or even years without treatment.

What is dysmythia?

now known as Persistent Depressive Disorder, is a chronic form of depression characterized by a low mood lasting for at least two years, along with other symptoms that affect functioning.

People with major depressive disorder may not feel sad, instead the may experience anhedonia. What is anhedonia?

the inability to feel pleasure or enjoyment in activities that were once found pleasurable, often seen in individuals with major depressive disorder.

What are the primary symptoms of MDD, one of these has to be present in oder for someone to be diagnosed with MDD. An individual could have all primary symptoms of which each would make up one of the five required symptoms. What are these primary symptoms?

Depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities

What are the secondary symptoms of MDD?

Weight Loss/gain, Insomnia or Hypersomnia, Psychomotor agitation or retardation, Fatigue, Feeling Worthless or experiencing excessive/ inappropriate guilt, decreased concentration, or thoughts of suicide.

What are the requirements of the depressive episode to be able to identify as MDD?

It cannot be attributted to another condition or a drug and can not be better explained by schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

What are the biological influences of MDD?

Biological factors such as genetics, neurochemistry, and brain structure play a significant role in the development of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). These influences may include family history of depression, imbalances in neurotransmitters, and altered brain function.

If the brain has decreased levels of serotonin, then …

there will be decreased mood.

If the brain has decreased levels of dopamine, then …

there may be reduced motivation and increased risk of depression.

If the brain has decreased levels of norepinephrine, then …

there may be decreased energy.

What are the situational influences of MDD?

People who experience significant loss of loved ones or stress are at a greater riskk of depression. Other situational factors include isolation, major life changes, or chronic illness.

Interpersonal relationships are a major contributor to MDD. How so?

Causes a lack of motivation and energy making it difficult to foster relationships. Behaviors like excessive reassurance seeking and pessimism can be off putting to other people, which leads to loss of relationships which pushes the individual even further down into depression. Therefore it is imperative that we have good social connections and a stress free environment to protect individuals from depression.

What are the cognitive influences on MDD?

First determined by Aaron Beck, the idea that negative thoughts aboput oneself, one’s environment, and one’s future play a key role in the development and maintenance of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This cognitive triad promotes feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, exacerbating depressive symptoms.

What characterizes Bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression), significantly impacting a person's energy, activity levels, and ability to function.

What is the difference between Bipolar I and Bipolar II?

Bipolar I involves at least one manic episode, whereas Bipolar II is characterized by at least one major depressive episode and one hypomanic episode, but no full manic episodes. Wh

What is cyclothymia?

An almost constant fluctuation of manic and depressed states both states are mild; must be experienced for a least. a year with few neutral mood states.

What are some symptoms of a manic episode?

• Loss of Sleep

• Distractability

• Hyper-agitation

• Racing Thoughts

• Push of Speech

• Impulsive Behavior

• Grandiose Delusions

What are racing thoughts?

Jumping form one though to another in rapid fashion with out focus

What is Push of Speech?

An individual talks changing the subject constantly making it impossible to understand.

What is impulsive behavior?

Impulsive behavior refers to actions taken without forethought or consideration of the consequences, often driven by strong emotions or urges.

What are grandiose delusions experienced in Bipolar disorder?

characterized by exaggerated beliefs about one's abilities, fame, or wealth, often accompanied by an inflated self-esteem during manic episodes.

What is an acute disorder?

Symptoms come and go lasting for weeks or months at any time with long periods of no symptoms. Wh

What is a chronic disorder?

The individual shoes some symptomology most of the time and may experience symptoms most of their life.

What is schizophrenia?

A severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, and sense of self. Symptoms may include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized behavior. Also known as the “splitting of the mind”

What condition is schizophrenia commonly confused with and why?

Dissociative Identity Disorder, which is split personality order. Schizophrenia is the splitting of the conscious, which leads to different thought processes and perceptions, unlike the identity fragmentation seen in Dissociative Identity Disorder.

There are many disorganized symptoms of schizophrenia. What is a delusion?

A false belief based on distortions of reality, the individual believes something that is untrue and the presentation of evidence does to dissuade them.

Schizophrenia can be separated into positive and negative symptoms. What are positive symptoms?

Excesses above a person not diagnosed with schizophrenia. These symptoms respond well to and can be managed with antipsychotic medications.

Schizophrenia can be separated into positive and negative symptoms. What are negative symptoms?

Lacking in a typical function that is present in others without the condition. These symptoms do not respond well to medication and are usually worse in prognosis.

What is a persecuatory/paranoid delusion?

A type of delusion where an individual falsely believes they are being targeted, harassed, or harmed by others. This belief persists despite a lack of supporting evidence.

Are delusions positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

positive

What is a grandiose delusion?

A belief that one has great power, knowledge, or wealth when they do not.

What is an identity delusion?

A false belief regarding one's identity, often involving the belief that one is someone of special significance or has an exceptional past.

What is a control delusion?

A false belief that one's thoughts, feelings, or actions are being controlled by external forces.

There are many disorganized symptoms of schizophrenia. What is a hallucination?

A false perception of things not really in the environment (Seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which tend to be vivid and clear making it difficult to differentiate reality. This is a positive symptom.

What is the most common hallucination for schizophrenia paitients

Auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices.

What does someone usually see if they are having a visual hallucination?

They often see objects, people, or lights that are not present in reality.

What does someone smell if they are having an olfactorant hallucination

They may smell odors that are not actually there, often unpleasant or nonspecific scents. Such as rotten eggs

What is an example of an area of the brain that fires due to a hallucination causing sensory preception that can be seen in an fMRI>?

The arcuate fasciculus is an example of a brain area that can show increased activity during hallucinations, indicating its role in sensory perception. Which is indicative of a speech hallucination, it is responsible for your inner voice.

What is the difference between a delusion and a hallucination?

A delusion is a firmly held false belief that persists despite evidence to the contrary, while a hallucination is a perception of something that isn't present in reality, such as seeing or hearing things.

There are many disorganized symptoms of schizophrenia. What is disorganized speech/thinking/behavior?

Mostly seen through world saladsand tangentiality, where the person has trouble organizing their thoughts or connecting them logically. This can lead to incoherent speech or difficulty following a conversation.

In schizophrenia patients disorganized speech/thinking/behavior can be seen. What is loose association?

thought process where a person rapidly shifts topics with little or no logical connection between them, making their speech difficult to follow.

In schizophrenia patients disorganized speech/thinking/behavior can be seen. What is perseveration?

A repeated, obsessive focus on a particular topic or idea, leading to the person repeating the same point or response regardless of the changing context of the conversation.

In schizophrenia patients disorganized speech/thinking/behavior can be seen. What is clang?

A pattern of speech where a person chooses words based on their sound rather than their meaning, often resulting in rhyming or alliteration, making the speech incoherent or nonsensical.

In schizophrenia patients disorganized speech/thinking/behavior can be seen. What is neologism?

the creation of new words or phrases that have meaning only to the person using them, often seen in psychotic speech.

What is the Etiology of Schizophrenia?

It is genetically inherited, characterized by enlarged ventricles, reduced activity in the frontal lobe, and temporal lobe, with the possibility to have abnormalities in neurotransmitters. In the environment if the individual has a stress filled or stressful family environment it can lead to the condition.

What charcterizes personality disorders?

By a maladaptive and inflexible way of interacting which are long lasting and cause problems in work and social situations.

When talking about personality disorders, there are three clusters: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. What is Cluster A?

Odd or Eccentric Behavior such as Paranoid, Schixoid or Schizotypal Personality Disorder.

When talking about personality disorders, there are three clusters: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. What is Cluster B?

Dramatic, Emotional, or Erradic Behavior such as Histrionic, Narcissistic, Borderline or Antisocial Personality Disorder.

When talking about personality disorders, there are three clusters: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. What is Cluster C?

Anxious or Fearful Behavior such as Avoidant, Dependent, or Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder.