APP Clinical Psychology Vocab 1

Modules 65-69

dissociative disorders

disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings

DID

a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities; also called multiple personality disorder

norepinephrine

neurotransmitter that is involved in arousal and the fight-or-flight system (also mood, sleep, and learning)

seasonal affective disorder

depression that results from changes in the season; most cases begin in fall or winter; due change in pattern of sunlight

mania

a mood disorder marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state

catatonia

odd motor behaviors sometimes associated with schizophrenia

flat affect

a lack of emotional responsiveness

word salad

jumble of incoherent speech as sometimes heard in schizophrenia

personality disorders

psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning

antisocial personality disorder

a personality disorder in which the person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members; may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist

conversion disorder

a rare somatic symptom disorder in which a person experiences very specific genuine physical symptoms for which no physiological basis can be found

Rosenhan study

determine the validity of psych diagnosis ( doctors told that patients had disorder when they did not)

intern's syndrome

a tendency for students to self diagnose when learning about psychological disorders

psychotic disorder

a psychological disorder in which a person loses contact with reality, experiencing irrational ideas and distorted perceptions (more of a general descriptor/category - not a specific disorder)

bulimia nervosa

an eating disorder in which a person alternates binge eating (usually of high-calorie foods) with purging (by vomiting or laxative use) or fasting

generalized anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal

agoraphobia

fear or avoidance of situations in which escape might be difficult or unavailable when panic strikes

compulsions

OCD, repetitive actions

postpartum depression

depression that can occur after a woman gives birth

bipolar disorder

a mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania; formerly called manic-depressive disorder

hallucinations

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus

DSM-V

5th edition diagnostic and statistical manual

psychological disorder

deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional behavior patterns

ADHD

a psychological disorder marked by the appearance by age 7 of one of more of three key symptoms: extreme inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity

medical model

the concept that diseases have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and, in most cases, cured. When applied to psychological disorders, assumes that these mental illnesses can be diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and cured through therapy, which may include treatment in a psychiatric hospital.

anxiety disorders

psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety

panic disorder

an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations

phobia

an anxiety disorder marked by a persistence, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation

OCD

an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts and/or actions

obsessions

OCD, repetitive thoughts

PTSD

an anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or more after a traumatic experience

dissociative fugue

a dissociative disorder involving sudden loss of memory and the assumption of a new identity in a new locale

major depressive disorder

a mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or a medical condition, two or more weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities

serotonin

neurotransmitter; a low amount is linked to depression

dysthymic disorder/dysthymia

milder form of depression, a down in the dumps mood that lasts for years

schizophrenia

a group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions

delusions

false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders

paranoia

(in schizophrenia) a mental illness of unreasonable anxiety, especially believing someone is out to get you

dopamine

overactivity plays a crucial role in the development of schizophrenia

diathesis-stress model

term for the theory that psychological disorders are caused by a genetic predisposition, combined with environmental stressors that trigger them

neurodevelopmental disorders

impairments of the growth and development of the brain or central nervous system; includes ADHD and autism spectrum

neurocognitive disorders

affect memory, attention, learning, language, perception, and social cognition; includes dementia/Alzheimers

dissociative amnesia

mental illnesses that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, consciousness, awareness, identity, and/or perception

illness anxiety

disorder characterized by imagined physical symptoms or exaggeration of real symptoms

somatic symptom disorders

category of disorders characterized by physical symptoms with psychological causes

social anxiety disorder

intense fear of social situations, leading to avoidance of such

rumination

compulsive fretting; overthinking our problems and their causes; can contribute to depression

eating disorders

Severe disturbances in eating behavior characterized by preoccupation with weight concerns and unhealthy efforts to control weight.

anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder in which an irrational fear of weight gain leads people to starve themselves

binge eating disorder

significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but without the compensatory purging, fasting, or excessive exercise that marks bulimia nervosa