Mental & Physical Health - Unit 5

Key Concepts in Health Psychology and Psychological Disorders

Overview of Psychologists' Interests

  • Health psychologists focus on factors promoting mental and physical health.
  • Positive psychologists concentrate on mental health and happiness.
  • Psychologists studying disorders use theoretical perspectives for explanations and treatments.
  • Understanding integrated approaches and evidence-based practices is crucial for treating psychological disorders.

Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

  • Exam Weighting: 15-25%
  • Learning Objectives:
    • Understanding health psychology and its applications to behavior and mental processes.
    • Exploring positive psychology and its impact on well-being.
    • Examining psychological disorders and treatment methods.

Topic 5.1: Introduction to Health Psychology

  • Health Psychology: Studies physical health and wellness in relation to behavior.
  • Psychoneuroimmunology: Examines the interaction between psychological processes and the immune system.

Stress and Its Effects

  • Stress: A psychological and physical response to challenging situations.
  • Stressors: External factors that trigger stress responses.
    • Types include:
    • Eustress: Positive stress.
    • Distress: Negative stress contributing to health issues.
    • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Early life stressors impacting long-term health.

Stress Reactions

  • General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): Stages of stress response:
    1. Alarm
    2. Resistance
    3. Exhaustion
  • Tend-and-Befriend Theory: A social support response to stress, especially in females.
  • Related health issues:
    • Coronary Heart Disease
    • Immune Suppression
    • Catharsis: Emotional release as a coping mechanism.

Coping with Stress

  • Coping strategies:
    • Problem-Focused Coping: Directly addressing stressors.
    • Emotion-Focused Coping: Managing emotional distress.
    • Learned Helplessness: A state where individuals feel unable to change their situation (also relates to locus of control: internal vs external).

Topic 5.2: Positive Psychology

  • Positive Psychology: Focuses on well-being, resilience, and positive experiences.
    • Key Concepts:
    • Subjective Well-Being: Individual's perceived quality of life.
    • Broaden-and-Build Theory: Positive emotions broaden thinking and help build resources.
    • Gratitude: Acknowledgment of positive aspects in life enhances well-being.
    • Signature Strengths: Individual strengths that promote personal fulfillment.

Topic 5.3: Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders

Definition and Approaches

  • Psychological Disorders: Patterns of behavior causing distress or impairing function.
  • Factors for Diagnosis:
    • Dysfunction, Distress, and associated Stigmas
  • Diagnostic Tools:
    • DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
    • ICD (International Classification of Diseases)

Perspectives on Disorders

  • Eclectic Approach: Integration of multiple theoretical perspectives.
  • Key Perspectives:
    • Behavioral: Focus on learned behaviors.
    • Cognitive: Looks at maladaptive thoughts.
    • Biological: Emphasizes genetic and physiological factors.
    • Sociocultural: Considers cultural influences on behavior.

Topic 5.4: Categories of Psychological Disorders

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Key characteristics and causes.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

  • Symptoms including delusions (e.g., persecution), hallucinations, and disorganized thinking.
  • Causes linked to genetic and environmental factors, exploring the Dopamine Hypothesis.

Depressive Disorders

  • Major Depressive Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder: Symptoms such as low mood and lack of energy.
  • Causes: Genetic, environmental, and situational factors.

Bipolar Disorders

  • Distinctions between Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorder characteristics.

Anxiety Disorders

  • Types include:
    • Phobias, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
  • Characteristics and potential causes.

Dissociative Disorders

  • Features of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Dissociative Amnesia, including symptoms and causes.

Topic 5.5: Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Treatment Approaches

  • Psychotherapies and Biomedical Therapies: Effectiveness and trends in treatment.
  • Ethical Principles: Nonmaleficence, fidelity, integrity, and respect in clinical settings.

Techniques in Therapy

  • Psychodynamic: Focus on unconscious processes.
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Combines cognitive restructuring with behavioral techniques.
  • Humanistic Approach: Emphasizes personal growth and self-acceptance.

Group versus Individual Therapy

  • Differences in therapeutic approaches and settings.

Biological Interventions

  • Use of psychotropic medications such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, and potential side effects like tardive dyskinesia.
  • Alternative interventions including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).