Disorders

What are the 3 criteria of abnormal behavior?

  • Deviance: Behavior that significantly deviates from societal or cultural norms.

  • Maladaptive: Behavior that interferes with a person's ability to function effectively in daily life.

  • Personal Distress: Behavior that causes significant subjective discomfort or emotional pain.

2. What is the DSM? How is it organized? Who publishes it?

  • DSM: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

  • Organization: It is organized into categories of disorders based on shared symptoms and diagnostic criteria.

  • Publisher: The American Psychiatric Association (APA).

3. What is the medical model of mental illness?

  • The medical model views psychological disorders as illnesses with biological causes, diagnosable symptoms, and possible cures. It emphasizes the role of genetics, brain chemistry, and other physical factors in mental health.

5. What are the fundamental characteristics of each of the following anxiety disorders: general anxiety disorder, phobic disorder, agoraphobia, PTSD, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder? What are 2 nature causes of anxiety disorders and 2 nurture causes? What neurotransmitters are linked to anxiety disorders?

  • General Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent, excessive worry about various things.

  • Phobic Disorder: Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.

  • Agoraphobia: Fear of open spaces or situations where escape might be difficult.

  • PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): Anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares following a traumatic event.

  • Panic Disorder: Sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort (panic attacks).

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

  • Nature Causes: Genetic predispositions, imbalances in neurotransmitters.

  • Nurture Causes: Learned associations, stressful life events.

  • Neurotransmitters: GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine.

6. What are the fundamental characteristics of the following mood/affective disorders: depression, mania, bipolar, seasonal affective disorder? What are 2 nature causes of mood disorders and 2 nurture causes? What neurotransmitters are linked to depression?

  • Depression: Persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest, and hopelessness.

  • Mania: Elevated mood, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior.

  • Bipolar Disorder: Alternating periods of depression and mania.

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Depression related to changes in seasons (typically less sunlight).

  • Nature Causes: Genetic vulnerability, neurotransmitter imbalances.

  • Nurture Causes: Stressful life events, learned helplessness.

  • Neurotransmitters: Serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine.

7. What are positive symptoms of schizophrenia? Negative symptoms? What is the difference between a delusion and a hallucination? What neurotransmitter is linked to schizophrenia and in what way?

  • Positive Symptoms: Additions to normal behavior (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech).

  • Negative Symptoms: Deficits in normal behavior (flat affect, social withdrawal, lack of motivation).

  • Delusion: False belief held despite evidence to the contrary.

  • Hallucination: Sensory experience that occurs in the absence of external stimulation.

  • Neurotransmitter: Dopamine (excess activity).

8. Describe the fundamental characteristics of each of the four subtypes of schizophrenia.

  • Paranoid: Delusions of persecution or grandeur, hallucinations.

  • Disorganized: Disorganized speech and behavior, flat or inappropriate affect.

  • Catatonic: Motor disturbances (immobility or excessive movement), echolalia (repeating words).

  • Undifferentiated: Symptoms that don't fit into other subtypes.

10. What are the fundamental characteristics and causes of the following dissociative disorders: amnesia, fugue, and DID? What is the controversy centering around DID?

  • Amnesia: Loss of memory due to psychological trauma.

  • Fugue: Sudden, unexpected travel away from home with amnesia.

  • DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder): Presence of two or more distinct identities or personalities.

  • Controversy: Debate over whether DID is a genuine disorder or a product of therapist suggestion or cultural factors.

11. How are personality disorders defined? Define the following ones: histrionic, borderline, narcissistic, dependent, and antisocial.

  • Personality Disorders: Inflexible and enduring patterns of behavior that impair social functioning.

  • Histrionic: Excessive emotionality and attention-seeking.

  • Borderline: Instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions.

  • Narcissistic: Exaggerated sense of self-importance and need for admiration.

  • Dependent: Excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive behavior.

  • Antisocial: Disregard for and violation of the rights of others.

12. What is a somatoform disorder? What are the fundamental characteristics of conversion disorder and hypochondriasis? What are their causes?

  • Somatoform Disorder: Psychological disorder in which a person experiences physical symptoms with no identifiable physical cause.

  • Conversion Disorder: Loss of physical function (e.g., blindness, paralysis) with no medical explanation.

  • Hypochondriasis: Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness.

  • Causes: Psychological factors, such as stress or trauma.

13. Define and give causation of the 2 most common eating disorders.

  • Anorexia Nervosa: Intense fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, and refusal to maintain a healthy weight.

  • Bulimia Nervosa: Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging, excessive exercise).

  • Causation: Psychological factors (e.g., low self-esteem, perfectionism), sociocultural factors (e.g., media influence), biological factors.

14. What are the defining characteristics and causes of each of the following disorders: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Autism?

  • Alzheimer's Disease: Progressive cognitive decline, memory loss, and brain atrophy.

  • Parkinson's Disease: Tremors, muscle rigidity, and difficulty with movement due to loss of dopamine-producing neurons.

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder: Deficits in social communication and interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviors.

  • Causes: Alzheimer's (genetic, environmental), Parkinson's (genetic, environmental), Autism (genetic, environmental).

15. What do the terms legal insanity and competency mean? What are the 3 criteria used to utilize these terms?

  • Legal Insanity: A legal term indicating that a person cannot be held responsible for their actions due to mental illness.

  • Competency: A legal term indicating that a person understands the legal proceedings and can participate in their own defense.

  • Criteria:

  • M'Naghten Rule: Did the person know what they were doing and understand that it was wrong?

  • Irresistible Impulse Test: Could the person control their actions?

  • Durham Rule: Was the person's unlawful act a product of mental disease or defect?