PSYCH 2510 MIZZOU

Chapter 1

A psychological disorder must:

cause stress or impairment

be upsetting to the individual

produce an atypical response
“behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that are unexpected in their cultural context and associated with present distress and impairment in functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, pain, or impairment.

it is important to consider that the standard for “atypical/abnormal'“ behavior depends heavily on…

the individual’s culture/environment

psychological dysfunction refers to…

a breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning

many psychological problems are considered to be on a continuum or a dimension rather than to be categories that are present or absent

T or F?

True

Distress and suffering are signs of a psychological disorder

T or F?

False. Distress and suffering are a natural part of life and do not in themselves constitute a psychological disorder.

what is psychopathology?

the study of psychological disorders

Clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists receive their…

Ph.D. and follow a course of graduate-level study lasting approximately 5 years

-research disorders and treat patients

-counseling psychologists usually treat relatively healthy individuals while clinical psychologists usually concentrate on more severe cases

psychiatrists

earn an M.D. degree from med school then specialize in psychiatry during residency training for 3-4 years

both investigate causes and give treatment

utilize biological and psychosocial treatments

psychiatric social workers

earn a master’s degree in social work as they develop expertise in collecting info relevant to the social and family situation of the individuals with a psychological disorder.

treat disorders, often concentrating on family problems associated with them

psychiatric nurses

have advanced degrees ( like a master’s of even P.h.D)

specialize in the care and treatment of patients with a psychological disorders, usually within hospitals

marriage and family therapists + mental health counselors

spend 1-2 years earning master’s degree

employed to provide clinical services by hospitals or clinics, usually under supervision of a doctoral-level clinician

3 functions of scientist-practitioners

1. Consumers of Science - keep up with latest scientific developments in their field and use the most current diagnostic and treatment procedures

2. Evaluators of Science - evaluate their own assessments or treatments to see if they work. Accountable not only to patients but also the government agencies/insurance companies that pay for treatments

3. Creators of Science - conduct research, in clinics or hospitals, that produce new information about disorders or treatment

3 major categories that make up the study of psychological disorders

1. clinical description

2. causation (etiology)

3. treatment and outcome

course

the individual pattern of a disorder

prognosis

the anticipated course of a disorder

developmental psychology

the study of changes in behavior over time

developmental psychopathology

the study of changes in abnormal behavior

lifespan developmental psychopathology

the study of abnormal behavior across the entire age span

etiology

study of origins of a disorder

Granger casuality

describes when a series of events temporally predict another series of events

supernatural tradition

historically, deviant behavior has been considered a reflection of the battle between good and evil.

physical and mental disorders were considered the work of the devil

what event happened in the 14th century that began to spread the idea that evil forces caused disorders

the split of the Catholic Church

The conviction that sorcery and witches are causes of madness and other evils continued into the 15th century, and evil continued to be blamed for unexplainable behavior, even after the founding of the United States, as evidenced by the Salem, Massachusetts, witch trials in the late 17th century, which resulted in the hanging deaths of 20 innocent people.

old treatments for disorders included exorcisms and shaving crosses into the hair of affected patients

T or F?

True

Miguel recently began feeling sad and lonely. Although still able to function at work and fulfill other responsibilities, he finds himself feeling down much of the time, and he worries about what is happening to him. Which of the definitions of abnormality apply to Miguel’s situation?

distress

Three weeks ago, Makayla, a 35-year-old business executive, stopped showering, refused to leave her apartment, and started watching television talk shows. Threats of being fired have failed to bring Jane back to reality, and she continues to spend her days staring blankly at the television screen. Which of the definitions seems to describe Jane’s behavior?

dysfunction, impairment in functioning

Maria should recover quickly with no intervention necessary. Without treatment, Kofi will deteriorate rapidly.

prognosis

Three new cases of bulimia have been reported in this county during the past month and only one in the next county.

incidence

Kaliah visited the campus mental health center because of her increasing feelings of guilt and anxiety.

presenting problem

Biological, psychological, and social influences all contribute to a variety of disorders.

etiology

The pattern a disorder follows can be chronic, time-limited, or episodic.

course

How many people in the population as a whole suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder?

prevalence

mass hysteria may simply demonstrate the phenomenon of…

emotion contagion

Who is Paracelsus

a Swiss physician who lived from 1493-1541 who rejected the cause of psychological disorders as demonic. Instead, he suggested that the moon and the stars had profound effects on people’s psychological functioning

which greek physician is considered to be the father of modern Western medicine?

Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)

Hippocrates

father of modern western medicine

he and his associates wrote “Hippocratic Corpus”

suggested mental disorders be treated as physical ones

believed mental disorders might also be caused by brain pathology or head trauma as well as genetics

Hippocrates assumed that normal brain functioning was related to four bodily fluids or humors:

blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm.

Blood came from the heart, black bile from the spleen, phlegm from the brain, and choler or yellow bile from the liver

Greek’s conception of the four basic qualities

heat, dryness, moisture, and cold

Who is the father of hypnosis?

Franz Anton Mesmer

According the Freud, what are the three major parts or functions?

the id

the ego

the superego

id

the source of our strong sexual and aggressive feelings/energies

sex, aggression, selfishness, and envy

illogical/emotional thinking

driven by pleasure principle

ego (mediator)

ensures we act realistically

mediates the conflict between the id and the superego

executive manager of our mind

logical/rational thinking

driven by reality principle

superego

instilled in us by our parents and our culture

counteracts potentially dangerous aggressive and sexual drives of the id

conscience

driven by moral principles

defense mechanisms

unconscious protective processes that keep primitive emotions associated with conflicts in check so that the ego can continue its coordinating function

Sublimination

Some people may redirect energy from conflict or underlying anxiety into a more constructive outlet such as work, where they may be more efficient because of the redirection. This process is called sublimation

Examples of defense mechanism

denial - refusal to acknowledge objective reality/experience that is apparent to others

displacement - transfers a feeling/response to an object that causes discomfort onto another object

projection - falsely attributes own thoughts to another individual

rationalization - conceals true motives/thoughts through reassuring but incorrect explanations

reaction formation - substitutes behaviors that are the direct opposite of unacceptable ones

repression - blocks disturbing thoughts from conscious awareness

sublimation - directs potentially maladaptive feelings into socially acceptable behavior

psychosexual stages of development

oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital