Psychiatric and Behavioral Terminology Practice Flashcards

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic psychiatric terminology, speech patterns, behavioral disorders, thought processes, orientation, cognitive distortions, and defense mechanisms.

Affect

The observable expression of a person's emotions during an interview.

Blunted Affect

A significant reduction in the intensity of emotional expression.

Labile Affect

Rapid and unpredictable changes in emotional expression.

Paresthesias

Abnormal sensations such as tingling, numbness, or "pins and needles" without an apparent cause.

Oriental

An outdated and inappropriate term formerly used to describe people from East Asia; use Asian instead.

Outpatient

A patient who receives treatment without being admitted to a hospital.

Institutional Unit

A specialized department or facility where patients receive organized medical or psychiatric care.

Alimony

Financial support paid by one former spouse to another after divorce.

Clerical Worker

A person who performs administrative or office-related tasks.

Echolalia

The involuntary repetition of another person's words or phrases.

Garrulous

Excessively talkative, often with unnecessary detail.

Dysarthric

A motor speech disorder characterized by slurred speech, slow speech, and difficulty controlling voice volume.

Gait

The manner or pattern in which a person walks.

Egocentric

Having excessive focus on oneself and one's own perspective.

Histrionic

Displaying excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior.

Antisocial

Showing a disregard for the rights and feelings of others.

Schizoid

Characterized by social detachment and limited emotional expression.

Blocking

A sudden interruption in the flow of thought or speech.

Circumstantial

Giving excessive, unnecessary details before eventually reaching the main point.

Tangential

Responding in a way that strays from the topic and never returns to the original point.

Flight of Ideas

Rapidly shifting from one idea to another with superficial connections.

Neologism

Creating new words or expressions that have meaning only to the speaker.

Perseveration

Persistently repeating the same word, idea, or response despite changes in the conversation.

Clang Association

Connecting words based on their sound rather than their meaning.

Loose Association

Shifting between unrelated ideas with little or no logical connection.

Autistic

Thinking that is overly focused on internal fantasies or personal logic rather than reality.

Somatic Complaints

Excessive concerns or complaints about physical symptoms without sufficient medical explanation.

Ideas of Reference

The false belief that unrelated events or comments are specifically directed at oneself.

Thought Broadcasting

The delusion that one's thoughts are being broadcast for others to hear.

Grandiosity

An exaggerated belief in one's importance, power, or abilities.

Influenced By (Thought Insertion/Control)

The belief that one's thoughts or actions are being controlled by an external force.

Sphere of Orientation

A person's awareness of themselves, their location, and the current time.

Person

Awareness of one's own identity and the identity of others.

Place

Awareness of one's current location.

Time

Awareness of the current date, time, or period.

Cognitive Distortion

An inaccurate or irrational way of thinking that negatively influences emotions and behavior.

Catastrophizing

Expecting the worst possible outcome from a situation.

Overgeneralization

Drawing broad conclusions from a single event.

Personalization

Assuming excessive personal responsibility for events outside one's control.

Selective Abstraction

Focusing on one negative detail while ignoring the overall context.

Blaming

Attributing responsibility for problems entirely to others or external circumstances.

Perfectionism

Holding unrealistically high standards and fearing mistakes.

Need for Absolute Approval

Believing that one must gain everyone's approval to feel worthwhile.

Defense Mechanism

An unconscious psychological strategy used to reduce anxiety and protect the ego.

Repression

Unconsciously blocking distressing thoughts or memories from awareness.

Rationalization

Creating logical explanations to justify unacceptable behavior or feelings.

Denial

Refusing to accept reality or facts because they are too distressing.

Projection

Attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else.

Reaction Formation

Behaving in a way that is opposite to one's true unacceptable feelings.

Intellectualization

Focusing on facts and logic to avoid emotional distress.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions from the original source to a safer target.

Undoing

Attempting to cancel out an unacceptable thought or action with an opposite behavior.

Introjection

Unconsciously adopting another person's beliefs, attitudes, or values as one's own.

Symbolization

Expressing unconscious conflicts through symbolic thoughts or behaviors.

Dissociation

Experiencing a temporary disruption in memory, identity, or awareness.

Isolation (of Affect)

Separating emotions from thoughts or memories of a distressing event.

Conversion

Expressing psychological conflict as physical symptoms without a medical cause.

Avoidance

Staying away from situations, thoughts, or feelings that cause anxiety or discomfort.