Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal Psychology

Normal vs. Abnormal

  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5 Text Revision (DSM 5 TR) ( the authoritative, comprehensive guide publised by the American psychiatric association for defining, classifying and diagnosing mental health condotions )

  • Mental Disorder:

    • A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior, reflecting a dysfunction in psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning.

    • Associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational, or other important activities.

Developmental Psychopathology Model

  • Developmental Psychopathology: ( squizophrenia , severe depression , bipolar disorder , PTSD , obsesive complusive disorder , personality disorder)

    • The study of the origins (etiology) and course of maladaptive behavior, focusing on how developmental processes and contextual interactions contribute to these origins and the course of the behavior.

  • Key Questions:

    • What causes and maintains maladaptive behavior?

Understanding Developmental Pathways

  • Understanding “normal” development:

    • Critical to comprehend what constitutes normal progression over time.

  • Understanding deviations:

    • Exploration of deviations from normal development occurring at different times and identifying contributing factors that maintain these deviations.

  • Examination Methods:

    • Various paradigms including biological, behavioral, cognitive, and social perspectives.

Biological Paradigm

  • Key Concepts:

    • Neural Plasticity:

    • The brain's malleability; neural structures and networks are shaped in part by environmental experiences.

    • Genetics:

    • Genetic factors have influence; however, there are no specific genes directly correlating to psychopathology.

Brain Structures and Components

  • Brain:

    • Neurotransmitters:

    • Substances that facilitate communication between nerve cells.

    • Four Major Components of the Brain:

      • Brain Stem:

      • Composed of the medulla, pons, and midbrain.

      • Diencephalon:

      • Includes the thalamus and hypothalamus.

      • Forebrain:

      • Comprises the cortex, limbic system, and basal ganglia, encompasses two hemispheres, occupying a large portion of the cranium.

      • Cerebellum:

      • Coordinates voluntary movements and balance.

Breakdown of Brain Components

  • Brain Stem:

    • Contains the Pons and Reticular formation.

    • Medulla: Essential for autonomic functions.

  • Diencephalon:

    • Thalamus: Relay station for sensory and motor signals.

    • Hypothalamus: Controls autonomic nervous system and endocrine functions.

  • Forebrain:

    • Cerebral Cortex:

    • Involved in higher functions such as thought and action.

    • Basal Ganglia ( parkinson, ticks , ocd ) ( regulate valuntary motor comtrol , action selection , habit formation )

    • Associated with motor movement, habit formation, and automaticity.

    • trouble in foucosing

    • cant stop thinking about certain things

    • Limbic System: regulates emtions.

    • Central role in emotion experience and expression.

    • Hippocampus: ( converting short term memories to long term storage , spatial navigation , emotional regulation)

    • Critical for memory formation.

    • Amygdala:

    • Involved in emotional responses, particularly fear and pleasure.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

  • ANS Overview:

    • Operates largely without conscious control, primarily regulated by the hypothalamus.

    • Motor Neurons:

    • Regulate visceral activities affecting bodily organs.

  • Two Divisions of the ANS:

    • Sympathetic Division:

    • Concerned with the expenditure of energy in stress situations (‘fight or flight’ response).

    • Parasympathetic Division:

    • Focuses on conserving energy and restorative processes.

Endocrine System

  • Endocrine Glands:

    • Include the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, and pineal gland.

  • Pituitary Gland:

    • Known as the “master gland”.

    • Regulates numerous body functions and hormonal secretions.

    • Closely connected to the hypothalamus, plays crucial roles in stress response.

  • Hormonal Regulation:

    • Produces Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) that stimulates adrenal glands to release hormones like glucocorticoids (e.g., cortisol) aiding body stress response.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

  • Concept:

    • A series of bodily changes designed to combat stress effects.

  • Hypothalamus Influences:

    • Two Pathways:

    1. Fight-Flight Response (Sympathetic Response):

      • Activation of sympathetic nerves to organs which triggers a stress response leading to increased heart rate and force of heart beats.

      • Sympathetic nerves stimulate adrenal glands to secret epinephrine and norepinephrine.

    2. Resistance Reaction (Second Stage):

      • Involves the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal axis (HPA):

      • Sequence:

        • Hypothalamus → Corticotropin-RH → Pituitary → ACTH → Adrenal Glands → Cortisol.

Behavioral Paradigm

  • Key Concepts:

    • Operant Learning:

    • Learning that occurs based on the consequences of behavior, involving:

      • Reinforcement: Rewards that increase behavior.

      • Punishment: Consequences that decrease behavior.

      • Shaping: Gradually guiding behavior towards a desired outcome.

    • Classical Conditioning:

    • A learning process whereby an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) produces an unconditioned response (UCR);

    • UCS is paired with a conditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response (CR).

Classical Conditioning Breakdown

  1. Before Conditioning:

    • Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): Food → Unconditioned Response (UCR): Salivation.

    • Neutral Stimulus: Whistle → Response: No salivation.

  2. During Conditioning:

    • UCS (Food) is presented with the Neutral Stimulus (Whistle).

  3. After Conditioning:

    • Neutral stimulus alone (Whistle) elicits a Conditioned Response (CR): Salivation.

Cognitive Paradigm

  • Social Cognitive Model:

    • Consists of four steps:

    1. Encode: Gather information.

    2. Interpretation: Process and understand the information. ( comienza el problema )

    3. Choose a Response: Decide how to react.

    4. Enact Response: Implementation of the chosen reaction.

    • Influences include information processing, knowledge structures, and socialization, which all affect behavior.

Social/Ecological Paradigm - Concepts

  • Distal vs. Proximal Factors:

    • Distal Factors: Influences that are distant in time or context; may affect development indirectly.

    • Proximal Factors: Immediate influences that directly affect an individual’s behavior and psychological outcomes.