AP Psych Unit 5 Section 3: Classifying Psychological Disorders

Introduction to Psychological Disorders

  • Psychological disorders affect thinking, feelings, mood, and behavior.
    • Definition (APA): Conditions characterized by cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, and impacted functioning.

Factors for Diagnosis of Psychological Disorders

  • Level of Dysfunction:

    • Refers to the ability to carry out daily activities (e.g., work, school, self-care).
    • Severe impairment in day-to-day activities may indicate a disorder.

  • Perception of Distress:

    • Involves subjective experiences of negative emotions (pain, stress) related to thoughts/behaviors.
    • Professionals assess how individuals react to their own feelings to evaluate distress levels.

  • Deviation from Social Norms:

    • Behavior assessed against social/cultural standards.
    • Significant deviations may indicate disorders; interpretations can vary with different cultures.

Importance of Professional Diagnosis

  • Diagnosis can yield beneficial and detrimental effects:
    • Benefits:
    • Access to treatment, targeted interventions (medications, therapies, support services).
    • Validation of feelings and understanding of symptoms.
    • Societal benefits: improved funding for mental health care.
    • Drawbacks:
    • Stigma associated with diagnosed individuals.
    • Cultural and social biases may influence diagnosis and treatment.
    • Risk of self-fulfilling prophecy; individuals may internalize negative stereotypes.

Diagnostic Tools

  • DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders):

    • Developed by American Psychiatric Association.
    • Comprehensive classification of mental disorders with symptoms and criteria for diagnosis.

  • ICD (International Classification of Diseases):

    • Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
    • Provides global standards for classifying all health conditions.

Psychological Perspectives on Disorders

  • Eclectic Approach:

    • Integration of techniques from various psychological perspectives for personalized treatment.

  • Behavioral Perspective:

    • Focus on maladaptive learned associations between responses and stimuli affected by conditioning (classical, operant, observational).

  • Psychodynamic Perspective:

    • Emphasizes unconscious conflicts from childhood experiences contributing to psychological disorders.

  • Humanistic Perspective:

    • Disorders arise from lack of social support, failure to achieve potential, or incongruent self-concept.

  • Cognitive Perspective:

    • Points to maladaptive thought patterns causing emotional distress and unhealthy behaviors.

  • Evolutionary Perspective:

    • Suggests that certain maladaptive traits associated with mental disorders are linked to genetics and survival.

  • Sociocultural Perspective:

    • Considers influence of social and cultural factors on mental disorders, including group dynamics and societal norms.

  • Biological Perspective:

    • Attributes psychological disorders primarily to physiological and genetic factors (neurotransmitter imbalances, brain structure abnormalities).

Models of Psychological Disorders

  • Biopsychosocial Model:

    • Development influenced by interconnected biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
    • Biological: genetics, brain chemistry.
    • Psychological: thought patterns, emotional responses.
    • Sociocultural: relationships, cultural norms.

  • Diathesis-Stress Model:

    • Interaction between genetic or biological vulnerabilities and stressful environmental events.
    • Diathesis: Genetic predispositions that increase the likelihood of developing a disorder.
    • Stress: Environmental challenges that may exacerbate these vulnerabilities (e.g., trauma, financial issues).

Conclusion

  • Understanding psychological disorders requires a multi-dimensional approach.
  • Future discussion will move on to the specific psychological disorders relevant for study.