Psychological Disorders II Study Notes

Specific Phobia

• Definition: An unreasonable fear of a specific object or situation that interferes with daily functioning.

• Subtypes:

  • Animal Phobia: Fear of specific animals.

  • Natural Environment Phobia: Fear of natural environments such as water.

  • Blood-Injury-Injection Phobia: Fear associated with blood, injury, or medical procedures.

  • Situational Phobia: Fear of situations such as enclosed spaces (claustrophobia).

  • Other phobias: For example, illness-related phobias.

Specific Phobia: Clinical Description

• Prevalence: Most individuals with specific phobia have multiple types of phobias.

• Causes:

  • True Alarm: Some phobias arise from a real traumatic experience (e.g., being bitten by a dog).

  • Vicarious Experience: Observing someone else’s traumatic experience can lead to a phobia (e.g., witnessing a dog bite).

  • Informational Transmission: Having information about traumatic occurrences can influence the development of phobias (e.g., being told about someone bitten by a dog).

  • False Alarm: A panic attack not directly linked to an event can also create a phobia (e.g., fear of driving after a panic attack).

  • Anxiety: An ongoing anxiety about the possibility of experiencing another traumatic event or a false alarm can sustain the phobia.

Specific Phobia: Subtypes

• Blood-Injury-Injection Phobia:

  • Characterized by an unreasonable fear and avoidance of exposure to blood, injury, or injections.

  • Physiological reactions (e.g., fainting) may differ from other phobias.

  • Age of Onset: Approximately 9 years.

• Situational Phobia:

  • Involves anxiety about enclosed or congested places.

  • Known as claustrophobia.

  • Age of Onset: Typically develops between 20-25 years.

• Natural Environment Phobia:

  • Involves extreme fear related to natural situations (e.g., water).

  • The fear must be persistent and disrupt normal functioning.

  • Age of Onset: Roughly 7 years.

• Animal Phobia:

  • Characterized by fear of animals and insects.

  • Age of Onset: About 7 years.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

• Definition: Disorders that are neurologically based and revealed during childhood.

• Characteristics:

  • Lifelong impact; symptoms can persist throughout life.

  • Focus on the sequential process of development; disruption at early developmental stages impacts later skills.

  • Importance of Early Identification: Early detection and intervention are critical for better outcomes.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Clinical Description

• Definition: ADHD is characterized by maladaptive levels of:

  • Inattention

  • Hyperactivity

  • Impulsivity

• Subtypes:

  1. Inattention Subtype: Predominance of inattentive symptoms.

  2. Hyperactive/Impulsive Subtype: Predominance of hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms.

  3. Combined Subtype: Features of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity combined.

ADHD: Causes

• Genetic Factors:

  • Higher prevalence of ADHD in families with a history of the disorder.

  • Multiple genes are believed to contribute to ADHD.

  • Relationship with dopamine regulation, e.g., Ritalin’s effect on dopamine increase.

• Environmental Factors:

  • Maternal risk factors during pregnancy include:

  • Smoking.

  • Stress.

  • Alcohol use.

  • Low birth weight.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Definition: A developmental disorder marked by impairments in social interactions and communications, along with repetitive and restrictive behaviors and interests.

ASD: Social Communication & Interactions

• Key Areas of Impairment:

  1. Social Reciprocity: The ability to respond socially to others.

  2. Nonverbal Communication: Issues with body language and nonverbal cues.

  3. Initiating and Maintaining Social Relationships: Challenges in forming and sustaining relationships.

• Diagnosis: All three areas must be present for diagnosis. ASD can be diagnosed as early as 18 months.