Clinical Pyschology


Lesson 8.1: Understanding Psychological Disorders

Medical Model Perspective

  • Views mental disorders as treatable diseases.

  • Diagnosis: Labeling a disorder to distinguish between illnesses.

  • Etiology: The cause of an illness.

Factors in Identifying Psychological Disorders

  1. Level of Dysfunction: Extent of difficulty in day-to-day responsibilities.

  2. Perception of Distress: Psychological, emotional, and physical pain experienced.

  3. Deviation from Social Norms: Behaviors deemed socially acceptable vs. unacceptable.

The DSM

  • Developed by the American Psychiatric Association to classify disorders; current edition is DSM-5-TR.

  • Provides descriptions but not causes of disorders.

Positives & Negatives of Diagnosis

  • Pros: Understanding, access to support.

  • Cons: Potential stigma, misunderstanding, and misdiagnosis.

Etiology of Psychlogical Disorders

  • Eclecticism: Most psychologists employ an eclectic approach (using more than one psychological perspective) when diagnosing and treating clients. 

  • Behavioral Approach: Causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive learned associations between or among responses to stimuli (reinforcements & punishments; observational learning, etc)

  • Psychodynamic Approach: Causes of mental disorders focus on unconscious thoughts and experiences, often developed during childhood; socially unacceptable thoughts create anxieties; early childhood trauma

  • Humanistic Approach: Causes of mental disorders focus on a lack of social support and being unable to fulfill one’s potential/reach goals

  • Cognitive Approach: Causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, 

    or emotions

  • Evolutionary Approach: Maladaptive behaviors that enabled 

    human survival

    • Ex: Fear can be adaptive to keep us safe in the dark, but maladaptive to find a relationship if we have a fear of rejection

  • Sociocultural Approach: Causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive social and cultural relationships and dynamics; trying to live up to societal standards: roles, expectations, norms; differences between cultural standards

  • Biological Approach: Causes of mental disorders focus ont6ft67t76t677 anb nby87 physiological (brain parts, brain chemistry, nervous system, etc.) or genetic issues

  • Biopsychosocial Approach: Any psychological problem potentially

    involves a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors

  • Diathesis-Stress: Psychological disorders develop due to a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) in combination with stressful life experiences and coping mechanisms (stress)

Lesson 8.2: Anxiety, OCD, PTSD & Somatoform Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

  • Marked by extreme feelings of apprehension and uneasiness.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

  • Persistent anxiety not linked to a specific threat.

Specific Phobia

  • Significant fear or anxiety towards specific objects or situations (e.g., heights, spiders).

Panic Disorder

  • Characterized by unexpected panic attacks leading to intense dread and worry about future attacks.

Social Phobia

  • Extreme anxiety in social or performance situations due to fear of scrutiny.

Etiology of Anxiety Disorders

  1. Behavioral: Learned associations and responses.

  2. Cognitive: Maladaptive thinking patterns.

  3. Biological: Neurotransmitter imbalances, genetic predispositions.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Obsessions: Intrusive thoughts.

  • Compulsions: Behaviors performed to alleviate anxiety from obsessions.

PTSD

  • Involuntary recollection of trauma, avoidance behaviors, negative emotions, and impaired social functioning.

Lesson 8.3: Depressive, Bipolar, Eating & Personality Disorders

Depressive Disorders

  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Persistent sadness and loss of interest.

  • Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD): Symptoms fluctuate in intensity over time.

Bipolar Disorders

  • Characterized by periods of mania and depression.

  • Bipolar I: Intense mania and depression.

  • Bipolar II: Mild mania and severe depression.

Eating Disorders

  • Anorexia Nervosa: Intense fear of gaining weight.

  • Bulimia Nervosa: Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors.

Personality Disorders

  • Clustered into three types:

    1. Cluster A: Odd/eccentric traits (Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal).

    2. Cluster B: Dramatic/erratic traits (Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic).

    3. Cluster C: Anxious/fearful traits (Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive).

Etiologies

  • Biological, cognitive distortions, and sociocultural influences regarding the development and persistence of these disorders.

Lesson 8.4: Dissociative, Schizophrenic & Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Learning Targets

  • Understand symptoms and etiologies of dissociative disorders, schizophrenia, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dissociative Disorders

  • Loss of contact with consciousness or memory (Dissociative Amnesia, Dissociative Fugue, DID).

Schizophrenia

  • Characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized behavior.

  • Positive Symptoms: Hallucinations, delusions, distorted thoughts.

  • Negative Symptoms: Diminished emotional expression, lack of motivation.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

  • Affect brain and nervous system, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Lesson 8.5: Introduction to Therapy

Types of Therapy

  1. Psychodynamic Therapy: Focus on unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences.

  2. Humanistic Therapy: Focus on self-acceptance and emotional climate.

  3. Group Therapy: Involves simultaneous treatment of multiple clients providing social support.

Lesson 8.6: Behavioral, Cognitive-Behavioral, & Biomedical Therapies

Therapy Goals

  • Behavioral: Change maladaptive behaviors through conditioning.

  • Cognitive-Behavioral: Modify negative thought patterns.

  • Biomedical: Physiological interventions (medications, ECT).

Behavioral Therapies

  • Exposure Therapy: Used for anxiety and phobias, involves systematic desensitization.

  • Aversion Therapy: Associates unwanted behaviors with unpleasant stimuli.

Biomedical Therapies

  • Medications: Used to treat mood disorders (SSRIs, mood stabilizers).

  • Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Used for severe depression; involves electrical stimulation of the brain.

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) are newer approaches to address severe psychiatric disorders.