5.3 Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders

Psychological Disorder

• Definition: A pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that disrupts functioning.

• Example: Major depressive disorder affecting daily activities.

Dysfunction

• Definition: Impairment in the ability to perform daily activities.

• Example: Difficulty maintaining relationships due to anxiety.

Distress

• Definition: Emotional suffering or pain that disrupts a person's life.

• Example: Excessive worry about everyday tasks leading to unhappiness.

Stigma

• Definition: Negative attitudes or beliefs about individuals with mental health issues.

• Example: Avoiding someone because they have a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

American Psychiatric Association (APA)

• Definition: The professional organization representing psychiatrists in the U.S., responsible for the DSM.

• Example: The APA publishes the DSM to guide diagnosis.

Eclectic Approach

• Definition: Using multiple therapeutic methods to treat psychological disorders.

• Example: Combining cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques.

Behavioral Perspective

• Definition: Focus on observable behaviors and the effects of learning.

• Example: Treating phobias through exposure therapy.

Maladaptive Behaviors

• Definition: Behaviors that are harmful and hinder personal functioning.

• Example: Avoiding social situations due to fear of judgment.

Psychodynamic Perspective

• Definition: Emphasizes unconscious processes and early life experiences.

• Example: Analyzing childhood events to understand adult anxieties.

Humanistic Perspective

• Definition: Focus on individual potential and self-actualization.

• Example: Encouraging self-exploration to foster personal growth.

Cognitive Perspective

• Definition: Examines how thoughts influence feelings and behaviors.

• Example: Identifying negative thought patterns in depression.

Maladaptive Thoughts

• Definition: Negative thought patterns that contribute to psychological disorders.

• Example: Believing "I will fail at everything" leading to avoidance.

Medical Model

• Definition: Views psychological disorders as diseases with biological causes.

• Example: Treating depression with medication.

Biopsychosocial Model

• Definition: Integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding disorders.

• Example: Considering genetics, personality, and environment in treatment.

Diathesis-Stress Model

• Definition: Proposes that psychological disorders develop from a combination of genetic predisposition and stress.

• Example: A person with a family history of anxiety may develop it under stress.

Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

• Definition: A manual used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders.

• Example: Using DSM-5 criteria to diagnose bipolar disorder.

World Health Organization (WHO)

• Definition: An agency that provides global health guidelines and classifications.

• Example: WHO publishes the ICD for international diagnostic criteria.

International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)

• Definition: A global health classification system used for diagnosing and researching mental disorders.

• Example: Using ICD-11 for diagnosing schizophrenia.

Evolutionary Perspectives

• Definition: Examines how evolutionary processes influence psychological traits.

• Example: Understanding anxiety as an adaptive response to danger.

Sociocultural Perspective

• Definition: Focus on how social and cultural factors affect mental health.

• Example: Examining the impact of community stigma on treatment seeking.

Maladaptive Relationships

• Definition: Relationships that negatively impact an individual's mental health.

• Example: Staying in a toxic relationship that causes constant stress.

Biological Perspective

• Definition: Emphasizes the role of genetics and biological processes in mental disorders.

• Example: Researching brain chemistry in relation to depression.

Diathesis

• Definition: A predisposition or vulnerability to develop a disorder.

• Example: Genetic factors that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia.

Stress

• Definition: Environmental or situational factors that trigger or exacerbate disorders.

• Example: Job loss leading to increased anxiety symptoms.

Epigenetics

• Definition: The study of how environment influences gene expression.

• Example: Stressful experiences altering the way genes are expressed in mental health.