Abnormal Behavior and Personality Disorders Study Set

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering the historical context of abnormal behavior, clinical professions, diagnostic concepts, and the three clusters of personality disorders based on the lecture transcript.

Psychological Disorder

A condition traditionally defined by the authors of the textbook as being associated with impaired functioning.

Psychological Dysfunction

A breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning.

Personal Distress

A component of abnormality where an individual feels sad, lonely, or worried about their situation, even if they remain functional in work or school.

Psychologist

A mental health professional who identifies and treats psychological disorders, typically holding a $\text{Ph.D.}$, $\text{Ed.D.}$, or $\text{Psy.D.}$ degree.

Psychiatrist

A medical professional who earns an $M.D.$ and often specializes in biological treatments for psychological disorders.

Psychiatric Social Worker

A professional who typically earns a master's degree in social work and focuses on social and family situations related to psychological disorders.

Psychopathology

The scientific study of psychological disorders.

Incidence

The number of new cases of a psychological disorder that are diagnosed within a specific period, such as a year.

Prevalence

The total number of people in a specific population who have a particular psychological disorder.

Episodic Course

A pattern where a disorder, such as a mood disorder, occurs in distinct phases or episodes.

Acute Onset

A term describing psychological symptoms that develop suddenly.

Prognosis

The predicted future development and outcome of a psychological disorder.

Etiology

The study of the causes or origins of a disorder.

Lunatic

A term derived from the Latin word $luna$, based on the historical belief that the moon and stars influenced human psychological functioning.

Melancholic

A depressive personality type that derives its name from the Greek word for black bile.

Choleric

According to the humoral theory of Hippocrates, a personality type that is characterized as being hot-tempered.

Sanguine

A personality type described as cheerful, associated with the humor of blood.

Hysteria

A term deriving from the Greek word $hysteron$ (uterus), used historically to describe physical symptoms for which no organic pathology could be found.

General Paresis

A psychotic disorder discovered in the $19\text{th}$ century to be caused by the bacterial microorganism responsible for syphilis.

Neuroleptics

Major tranquilizers developed in the $1950s$ that made it possible to control psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.

Benzodiazepines

Minor tranquilizers, such as Valium and Librium, used primarily to reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Moral Therapy

An $18\text{th}$-century psychosocial approach that advocated for treating institutionalized patients as normally as possible with social interaction and individual attention.

Mental Hygiene Movement

A reform movement led by Dorothea Dix that campaigned for more humane conditions and treatment for the insane.

Catharsis

A therapeutic process discovered by Freud involving the release of emotional tension by recalling and reliving traumatic events.

Id

The part of the mind that operates on the pleasure principle and houses sexual and aggressive drives.

Ego

The part of the mind that operates on the reality principle and mediates conflict between the basic drives and moral conscience.

Superego

The part of the mind representing moral principles and the conscience.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious protective processes, such as repression or projection, used by the ego to manage anxiety.

Self-actualizing

A concept in humanistic psychology referring to the drive for individuals to reach their highest potential.

Systematic Desensitization

An anxiety-reduction procedure developed by Joseph Wolpe that involves gradual exposure to feared objects or situations.

Stimulus Generalization

A conditioning phenomenon where a patient develops a negative reaction to various people or objects associated with a specific traumatic stimulus, such as chemotherapy.

Multidimensional Integrative Approach

The perspective that psychopathology is determined by the continuous interaction of biological, psychological, and social influences.

Cluster A

A group of personality disorders characterized as odd or eccentric, including paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal disorders.

Cluster B

A group of personality disorders described as dramatic, emotional, or erratic, including antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic disorders.

Cluster C

A group of personality disorders characterized as anxious or fearful, including avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Ideas of Reference

Beliefs that insignificant events relate directly to oneself, a common feature of schizotypal personality disorder.

Conduct Disorder

A childhood disorder involving repeated theft or assault that is often a precursor to antisocial personality disorder in adulthood.

Underarousal Hypothesis

A theory suggesting that individuals with antisocial personality disorder seek out dangerous or high-stimulation activities because they have low levels of cortical arousal.

Fearlessness Hypothesis

A theory stating that individuals with antisocial personality disorder have a higher threshold for fearing the consequences of their actions and under-react to the threat of punishment.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

A psychological treatment found effective for borderline personality disorder that helps patients cope with stressors and regulate their emotions.