psych Clinical

Stress

The process of perceiving and responding to threatening or challenging events.

Stressors

The specific events that trigger a stress response.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Selye's three-phase process of adapting to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Alarm Reaction

Phase 1 of GAS; the body activates with increased heart rate and weakened immunity.

Resistance Phase

Phase 2 of GAS; the body mobilizes to fight or flee, pumping adrenaline.

Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

The active alarm phase attempting to deal with high-intensity stress.

Exhaustion Phase

Phase 3 of GAS; prolonged stress depletes reserves, compromising immunity and health.

Tend-and-Befriend Theory

The tendency to nurture self/others and seek support when under stress.

Problem-Focused Coping

Alleviating stress directly by changing the stressor or how we interact with it.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Alleviating stress by avoiding the stressor and attending to emotional needs.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human flourishing, strengths, virtues, and well-being.

Wisdom (Positive Psychology)

Developing knowledge, perspective, curiosity, and a love of learning.

Courage (Positive Psychology)

Bravery, persistence, and integrity that lead to feeling vital.

Humanity (Positive Psychology)

Treating people with respect, kindness, social intelligence, and love.

Justice (Positive Psychology)

Focusing on civil rights, freedoms, and building stable communities.

Temperance (Positive Psychology)

Being forgiving, humble, and prudent to keep behaviors balanced.

Transcendence (Positive Psychology)

Maintaining hope in the potential of the human condition.

Posttraumatic Growth

Positive psychological change experienced after a life crisis or trauma.

Dysfunction (3 Ds)

How much a mental health situation interferes with daily functioning.

Distress (3 Ds)

The psychological pain or suffering experienced by an individual.

Deviance (3 Ds)

The degree to which behavior statistically deviates from societal norms.

DSM-5-TR

The diagnostic manual used to classify and diagnose clinical disorders.

International Classification of Mental Disorders

The WHO's diagnostic manual for clinical disorders of all health conditions.

Eclectic Approach

Integrating multiple therapeutic strategies based on what best helps the client.

Behavioral Perspective

The view that psychopathology emerges from learned, maladaptive responses.

Psychodynamic Perspective

The view that psychological disorders stem from unresolved unconscious conflicts.

Humanistic Perspective

The view that disorders stem from lack of unconditional positive regard.

Cognitive Perspective

The view that mental health conditions emerge from distorted thinking.

Evolutionary Perspective

The view of disorders as harmful dysfunctions of evolved psychological mechanisms.

Sociocultural Perspective

The view that abnormal behavior results from societal and cultural definitions.

Biological Perspective

The view focusing on genetic, physiological, and neurochemical factors in disorders.

Biopsychosocial Model

The assumption that biology, psychology, and culture interact to cause disorders.

Diathesis-Stress Model

The concept that genetic predispositions combine with environment to trigger disorders.

Anxiety Disorders

Disorders characterized by excessive, persistent fear and related maladaptive behaviors.

Specific Phobia

The persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation.

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape is difficult or help is unavailable during panic.

Panic Disorder

A disorder marked by unpredictable, intense episodes of dread and physical terror.

Social Anxiety Disorder

The intense fear and avoidance of social situations.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A state of continuous tension, apprehension, and autonomic nervous system arousal.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts and ritualistic actions.

Hoarding Disorder

Persistent difficulty parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value.

PTSD

A disorder featuring haunting memories, flashbacks, and avoidance following a trauma.

Somatoform Disorders

Physical symptoms and concerns without an identifiable medical cause.

Dissociative Disorders

Disorders characterized by disruptions in identity, memory, or consciousness.

Dissociative Amnesia

Profound memory loss for personal events, often linked to trauma or repression.

Dissociative Fugue

A disorder involving loss of personal identity and starting a new life elsewhere.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A rare condition where a person exhibits two or more distinct, alternating personalities.

Depressive Disorders

Disorders featuring persistent sad, empty, or irritable moods that impair functioning.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

A disorder marked by five or more depressive symptoms lasting at least two weeks.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic depressed mood occurring most days for at least two years.

Bipolar Disorders

Disorders in which a person alternates between depression and mania.

Bipolar I Disorder

A severe form featuring manic episodes lasting a week or longer.

Bipolar II Disorder

A milder form featuring hypomanic episodes instead of full mania.

Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders

Disorders characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, or flat affect.

Negative Symptoms

Deficits in behavior, such as flat affect or catatonia.

Positive Symptoms

Excesses in behavior, such as hallucinations, delusions, or word salad.

Delusions

False, fixed beliefs often involving grandeur or persecution.

Hallucinations

Sensory perceptions, such as hearing voices, without external stimuli.

Disorganized Thinking / Speech

Fragmented, nonsensical communication often referred to as word salad.

Disorganized Motor Behavior

Restless, compulsive movements, or frozen postures known as catatonia.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Central nervous system abnormalities starting in childhood that alter development.

ADHD

A disorder marked by extreme inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Disorders featuring social deficits, communication limits, and repetitive behaviors.

Eating Disorders

Disorders characterized by severely altered food consumption impairing health.

Anorexia Nervosa

Starvation dieting and excessive exercise despite being significantly underweight.

Bulimia Nervosa

A cycle of binge eating followed by purging behaviors like vomiting.

Personality Disorders

Inflexible, enduring behavior patterns that deviate from cultural expectations.

Cluster A

Personality disorders characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors.

Paranoid Personality Disorder

Pervasive distrust and suspicion that others have sinister motives.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Avoidance of social relationships and little to no emotional expression.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Extreme social discomfort, odd thinking, and unconventional beliefs.

Cluster B

Personality disorders marked by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A pervasive lack of conscience, guilt, or remorse for actions.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

An overwhelming need to be the center of attention.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

An inflated sense of self-importance and demand for special treatment.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Severe instability in mood, self-image, and interpersonal relationships.

Cluster C

Personality disorders characterized by anxious or fearful behaviors.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Extreme social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity.

Dependent Personality Disorder

Pervasive psychological dependence on others to make decisions.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

An unhealthy obsession with orderliness, perfectionism, and control.

Meta-analytic Studies

A statistical procedure analyzing results from multiple studies to draw conclusions.

Deinstitutionalization

The late-20th-century trend of moving patients out of mental hospitals.

APA

The American Psychological Association; the leading professional group for psychology.

Ethical Principles

Guidelines governing the treatment of individuals with mental health concerns.

Psychodynamic Therapies

Therapies analyzing unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences to enhance insight.

Cognitive Therapies

Therapies focusing on changing maladaptive, self-defeating thought patterns.

Maladaptive Thinking

Cognitive patterns that interfere with healthy daily functioning.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Using scientific behavioral analysis to facilitate therapeutic change.

Exposure Therapies

Behavioral methods treating anxiety by confronting feared objects or situations.

Systematic Desensitization

Gradually exposing a client to anxiety-triggering stimuli to eliminate fear.

Aversion Therapy

Pairing an unwanted behavior with an unpleasant stimulus to reduce it.

Token Economies

An operant conditioning system where tokens earned for good behavior buy rewards.

Biofeedback

Using physiological feedback devices to learn stress-reduction techniques.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

An integrative therapy combining cognitive restructuring with behavior change.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

A therapy providing skills to manage intense emotions and relationships.

Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Ellis's confrontational therapy challenging irrational, self-defeating beliefs.

Humanistic Therapy

Person-centered therapy using active listening and empathy to foster growth.

Active Listening

Empathetic listening where the therapist echoes, restates, and clarifies.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Rogers's caring, nonjudgmental attitude to help clients build self-acceptance.

Hypnosis

A therapeutic suggestion technique used to reduce unpleasant symptoms.