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Chapter 18 – Abnormal Psychology

Chapter 18 – Abnormal Psychology. Honors and Regular Psychology R. M. Tolles. Introduction. How should we define psychological disorders? How should we understand disorders? How should we classify psychological disorders?. Defining Psychological Disorders.

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Chapter 18 – Abnormal Psychology

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  1. Chapter 18 – Abnormal Psychology Honors and Regular Psychology R. M. Tolles

  2. Introduction • How should we define psychological disorders? • How should we understand disorders? • How should we classify psychological disorders?

  3. Defining Psychological Disorders • Psychological disorders = deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional patterns of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. • Deviant behavior • Distressful behavior • Harmful dysfunctional behavior • Definition varies by context/culture • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) = a psychological disorder marked by the appearance by age 7 of one or more of three key symptoms; extreme inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

  4. Indentifying – Four Basic Standards • Abnormal behavior is unusual. It occurs infrequently in a given population • Abnormal behavior is maladaptive. It interferes with a person’s ability to function normally in one or more important areas of life. • Abnormal behavior is disturbing to others. It represents a serious departure from social and cultural norms of behavior • Abnormal behavior is distressful. It presents a person from thinking clearly and making rational decisions.

  5. Classifying Psychological Disorders • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) • DSM-IV-TR = the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, updated as of 2000 “text revision”; a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders. • DSM-5 • International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) • Criticisms of the DSM

  6. The Biopsychosocial Approach to Psychological Disorders

  7. Labeling Psychological Disorders - Rosehan Rosenhan’s study • In 1973, David Rosehan and 7 mentally healthy associates presented themselves for admission to 12 psychiatric hospitals in 5 states. The pseudo-participants claimed to hear voices, other than this, the participants acted normally and reported no other psychiatric problems. • All were admitted for stays ranging from 7 to 52 days • Although health officials failed to detect the pseudo-participants, the mentally ill patients could see right through the ruse • Rosenhan’s study demonstrates the power and danger of what he called the “stickiness of the diagnostic label” – caused a storm of controversy

  8. Theories of Abnormal Behavior The Psychoanalytic Perspective • Views mental disorders as the product of intrapsychic conflicts among the id, the ego, and the superego • In order to protect itself, the ego represses psychic conflicts into the unconscious. These conflicts result form unresolved into the unconscious. These conflicts result from unresolved traumatic experiences that took place in childhood. • For example, rejection can produce strong feelings of anger. The psychoanalytic perspective views depression as anger that is channeled into the unconscious.

  9. Humanist Perspective • The humanist perspective looks to a person’s feelings, self-esteem, and self-concept for the causes of mental behavior • Humanists believe that behavior is the result of choices we make in struggling to find meaning in life. • For example, anxiety can result when an individual experiences a gap between his or her ideal self and his or her self.

  10. The Cognitive Perspective • The cognitive perspective focuses on faulty, illogical, and negative ways of thinking • Maladaptive thoughts lead to misperceptions and misinterpretations of events and social interactions. • For example, unrealistically negative thoughts can lead to depression

  11. The Behavioral Perspective • The behavioral perspective stresses that abnormal behavior is learned • Behaviorists focus on how a behavior was reinforced and rewarded. • For example, during classical conditioning, a stimulus that was originally neutral (such as an elevator) becomes paired with a frightening event (the power going out) so that it becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits anxiety

  12. The Biological Perspective • The biological perspective argues that many psychological disorders are caused by hormonal or neurotransmitter imbalances, differences in brain structure, and inherited predispositions. • For example, an imbalance of a chemical that influences the nervous or endocrine system can cause anxiety

  13. Anxiety Disorders • Anxiety is a feeling of tension, apprehension, and worry that occurs during a personal crisis or the pressures of everyday life. • In contrast, pathological anxiety is irrational, uncontrollable, and disruptive. • Pathological anxiety is irrational because it is provoked by nonexistent or exaggerated threats • Pathological anxiety is uncontrollable because the person cannot control or stop anxiety attacks • Pathological anxiety is disruptive because it impairs relationships and everyday activities

  14. Generalized Anxiety Disorder • Anxiety disorders = psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety. • Generalized anxiety disorder= an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal. • Panic disorder= an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations.

  15. Phobias • Phobia= an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object, activity, or situation. • Agoraphobia is a particularly disabling phobia. People who suffer form agoraphobia have an irrational fear of public places Mysophobia – fear of germs

  16. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder • Obsessive-compulsive disorder= an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions). • An obsession versus a compulsion • Checkers • Hand washers • Obsessions can cause a person great anxiety and distress. Obsessive thoughts often lead to compulsive behaviors, such as repeatedly checking to make sure that doors are locked, lights are turned off, and windows are closed.

  17. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) = an anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or more after a traumatic experience. • “shellshock” or “battle fatigue” • Not just due to a war situation • Post-traumatic growth= positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely challenging circumstances and life crises.

  18. Somatoform Disorder • Somatoform disorder = psychological disorder in which the symptoms take a somatic (bodily) form without apparent physical cause. • Somatic (body) • Conversion disorder = a rare somatoform disorder in which a person experiences very specific genuine physical symptoms for which no psychological basis can be found. • Hypochondriasis = a somatoform disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of the disease.

  19. Dissociative Disorders • Dissociative disorders = disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings • Involves a splitting apart of significant aspects of a person’s awareness, memory, or identity • Individuals who experience dissociative disorders have compelling need to escape form anxiety and stress. • The three main types of dissociative disorders are amnesia, fugue, and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

  20. Dissociative Disorder • Dissociative Amnesia – characterized by a partial or total inability to recall past experiences and important information. • Typically a response to traumatic events and extremely stressful situations, such as marital problems and military combat • Dissociative Fugue – characterized by suddenly and inexplicably leaving home and taking on a completely new identity with no memory of a former life • While in the Fugue state, the person experiences amnesia, but can otherwise function normally

  21. Dissociative Disorder • Dissociative identity disorder (DID) = a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities. Formerly called multiple personality disorder. • Many researchers and mental health professionals now question if DID is a genuine psychological disorder. Skeptics believe that many of the reported cases are not supported by strong scientific evidence.

  22. Mood Disorders • Mood disorders = psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes. • Mood disorders are serious, persistent disturbances in a person’s emotions. Mood disorders can cause psychological discomfort and impair a person’s ability to function. • Major depressive disorder = a mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or a medical condition, two or more weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities.

  23. Mood Disorders - Bipolar • Bipolar disorder = a mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania. (formerly called manic-depressive disorder.) • Characterized by periods of both depression and mania. During a manic episode the individual is hyperactive and may not sleep for days at a time. Sufferers frequently exhibit racing thoughts, a shortened attention span, and an inflated sense of importance.

  24. Bipolar Disorder • Mania (manic) = a mood disorder marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state. • Overtalkative, overactive, elated, little need for sleep, etc. • Bipolar disorder and creativity

  25. Understanding Mood Disorders • Many behavioral and cognitive changes accompany depression • Depression is widespread • Compared with men, women are nearly twice as vulnerable to major depression • Most major depressive episodes self-terminate • Stressful events related to work, marriage and close relationships often precede depression • With each new generation, depression is striking earlier and affecting more people

  26. Understanding Mood DisordersThe Biological Perspective • Genetic Influences - Mood disorders run in families • The depressed brain • Biochemical influences • Norepinephrine and serotonin

  27. Understanding Mood DisordersThe Biological Perspective

  28. Schizophrenia • Schizophrenia (split mind) = a group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions. • Not multiple personalities • Affects approximately 1% of the U.S. • Schizophrenia typically begins in late adolescence or early adulthood. It rarely emerges prior to adolescence or after age 45.

  29. Characteristic Symptoms of Schizophrenia • Delusional Beliefs • Delusions= false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders. • Delusions of persecution (paranoid)\Word Salad

  30. Symptoms – Cont. • Hallucinations. These usually involve seeing or hearing things that don't exist, although hallucinations can be in any of the senses. Hearing voices is the most common hallucination among people with schizophrenia. • Thought disorder. Difficulty speaking and organizing thoughts may result in stopping speech mid-sentence or putting together meaningless words, sometimes known as word salad. • Disorganized behavior. This may show in a number of ways, ranging from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation.

  31. Understanding Schizophrenia Onset and Development • Statistics on schizophrenia • Onset of the disease • Positive versus negative symptoms • Chronic (process) schizophrenia • Acute (reactive) schizophrenia Brain Abnormalities • Dopamine Over-activity • Dopamine – D4 dopamine receptor • Dopamine blocking drugs • Glutamate

  32. Understanding Schizophrenia Abnormal Brain Activity and Anatomy • Frontal lobe and core brain activity • Fluid filled areas of the brain Maternal Virus During Pregnancy • Studies on maternal activity and schizophrenia • Influence of the flu during pregnancy

  33. Understanding SchizophreniaPsychological Factors • Possible warning signs • Mother severely schizophrenic • Birth complications (low weight/oxygen deprivation) • Separation from parents • Short attention span • Poor muscle coordination • Disruptive or withdrawn behavior • Emotional unpredictability • Poor peer relations and solo play

  34. Personality Disorders General Characteristics • Personality disorders = psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning. • Well-adjusted people are able to modify their personality traits as they adjust to different social experiences. In contrast, people with personality disorders are inflexible and maladaptive across a broad range of situations

  35. Personality Disorders • Personality disorders usually become evident during adolescence or early adulthood • Narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder are two of the best-known (and most frequently tested) personality disorders. Narcissistic Personality Disorder • Characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, fantasies of unlimited success, need for excessive administration, and a willingness to exploit others to achieve personal goals

  36. Narcissistic, Cont… • The etiology or causes of narcissistic personality disorder are unknown • Researchers currently believe that excessive admiration that was never balanced with realistic feedback may be an important causal factor.

  37. Antisocial Personality Disorder • Antisocial personality disorder = a personality disorder in which the person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. May be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist. • Sociopath or psychopath • Serial Killers are often seen as classic examples • Understanding antisocial personality disorder

  38. The End

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