psychopathology terms

what is the difference between descriptive and experimental/dynamic psychopathology?

descriptive - describes the state of mind, trying not to apply any preconceived ideas or theories

experimental - attempt to explain why things happen, using theories

what is the definition of mood?

sustained emotion present over a prolonged time

what is the definition of affect?

the immediately expressed and observed emotion

what is the incongruous affect?

variation in mood not in keeping with circumstances or thought

what is blunt affect?

lack of or flattening of emotion distinct from depressed mood

what is emotional liability/instability?

significant variation in mood over shorter periods

what is the elated affect?

extreme degree of happy or positive emotion

what term is used to describe a normal mood?

euthymic

what are the key disorders of thought? (5)

- knights move/derailment

- flight of ideas

- pressure of thought

- poverty of thought

- thought block

what is knights move/derailment?

transition from one topic to another, either between sentences or mid-sentence with no apparent logical relationship between the topics or evidence of association

what term is used interchangeably with knights move/derailment?

tangentiality or tangential

what is a flight of ideas?

thoughts and speech move quickly from one topic to another with some limited or no connection

what is pressure of thought?

ideas arise in unusual variety and abundance - racing thoughts or pressure of speech

what is poverty of thought?

having few thoughts that move slowly through your mind

what is thought block?

stream of thought interrupted suddenly

what is the difference between a normal belief and an overvalued idea?

normal belief - belief held with some or complete conviction in keep with the individuals socioculture e.g. water is wet

overvalued idea - a belief that is not in keeping with an individuals socioculture held with incomplete conviction e.g. when you walk into a room you think everyone is looking at you, but when you think about it they probably are not

what is the definition of a delusion?

a belief held in conviction that is not supported by evidence and not in keeping with the individuals socio-culture

what are primary delusions?

delusions arising from pathology e.g. grandiose delusion or though interference

what is grandiose delusion?

patient believes he/she has special powers or beliefs

what is thought interference?

when ones thoughts have been interfered in some way e.g. insertion, removal or broadcast

what is a true hallucination?

perceptions of things in external space, outside of conscious control and possessing relative permanence

what is a pseudo-hallucination?

false perception understood as being part of one's internal experience

what is a third person auditory hallucination?

2 or more voices providing real time description of what an individual is doing

what is a running commentary hallucination?

a voice or voices providing real time description of what an individual is doing

what is a command hallucination?

a voice or voices giving instructions

what is an illusion?

misintepretation of reality - so there is a stimulus but it is misinteprested e.g. mistaking a wire for a snake

are illusions common in pure psychiatric disorders?

no - more likely to indicate an underlying organic problem e.g. brain tumour

what is insight?

extent of awareness of a morbid change in oneself and attitudes to this change:

- is this person aware of the issue?

- do they recognise it as abnormal?

- would they accept treatment?