PURDUE PSY 350 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
hypomanic episode - Answers - These episodes show symptoms of mania but they're
less intense. Does not involve significant impairment
manic episode - Answers - Elevated, expansive mood for at least one week, inflated
self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, racing thought, easily distracted, pleasurable
but risky behavior, more goal-directed activity. Impairment not normal in functioning, not
caused by direct physiological events or medical condition.
bipolar disorder - Answers - All forms of bipolar disorder have the defining feature of
mania. Usually involves episodes of depression alternating with mania.
mood disorder - Answers - -gross deviations in mood
- unipolar: involves only depressive symptoms
- bipolar: involves manic symptoms also
mood episode - Answers - -Periods of depressed or elevated mood lasting days or
weeks
- MDE
- Persistent depression
- Manic and hypomanic episodes
neurobiological factors in mood disorder etiology - Answers - - genetics: heritability
factors (37% MDD, 93% bipolar disorder)
- neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and serotonin)
- concordance rates are high in identical twins (two or three times more likely to present
with mood disorders than a fraternal twin of a depressed co-twin
- heritability rates are higher compared to males
- much research to identify specific genes involved in mood disorders, but the results of
most studies have not been replicated
- gene influencing dopamine function appears related to MDD
psychological factors that play a role in mood disorder etiology - Answers - -
psychodynamic model: no strong research support
- behavioral model: modest research support
- cognitive views: considerable research support
Beck's cognitive theory of depression - Answers - - 1967, 1976
- Negative triad: Broadly negative views of self, world, future, self defeating attitudes
learned during childhood
- Negative schema: underlying tendency to see the world negatively
,- Negative schema cause cognitive biases/errors: tendency to process information in
negative ways, minimization of the positive and magnification of the negative
Treatments for mood disorders - Answers - - half of people with MDD, PDD receive
professional treatment, can be divided into: psychological, sociocultural, biological
- psychodynamic: widely used, no strong research to support its effectiveness
- behavioral: used for mild or moderate depression, practiced less in the last decade
- cognitive: performs well, large and growing clinical following, likely the most effective,
but not relapse proof, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, biological
Theories on how psychopharmacological interventions affect symptoms of mood
disorders - Answers - the intervention of drugs alone or psychological treatments alone
do not prove as effective as the combination of psychological therapy and
pharmacological interventions in mood disorders
ECT - Answers - - reserved for treatment non- responders
- induce brain seizure and momentary unconsciousness
- 6 to 12 sessions over 2 to 4 weeks
- bilateral or unilateral
- causes memory loss
ECT leading hypothesis in severe mood symptoms - Answers - - more effective than
any other treatment for severe depression
- combination of psychotherapy and drug therapy is modestly more helpful to depressed
people than either treatment alone
- depression may be having too many connections between certain brain areas. ECT
may help to reduce connections between areas such as the frontal lobe with regions
involved in emotional control
- it has been found to increase levels of nerve growth factor that trigger the birth of new
brain cells and revitalize damaged connections in the hippocampus
Suicidal ideation - Answers - - thoughts of killing oneself
Non-suicidal self injury - Answers - - behaviors intended to injure oneself without the
intent to kill oneself
- cutting, burning, scratching, interfering with wound healing
- does not include overdosing, substance use, eating disorders, body piercing, or
tattooing
Consistent risk factors for suicide - Answers - - mental illness
- previous suicide attempt
- serious physical illness/chronic pain
- family history
- history of mental illness and suicide
- shame/despair
- aggression/ impulsivity
, - triggering event
- access to lethal means
- suicide exposure
- inflexible thinking
- genes, stress, and mood
Suicide contagion - Answers - - a person is more likely to commit suicide after hearing
about someone else committing suicide
- family members, friends, celebrities, other highly publicized suicides are common
triggers
- The media can worsen the problem
- sensationalizing/ romanticizing suicide
- describing lethal methods of committing suicide
Common suicide myths - Answers - - People who discuss it won't do it; 3/4 of people
who commit communicate their intentions before
- Its committed without warning; people usually give many warnings ("the world would
be better without me"
- suicidal people want to die; most people are thankful after suicide is prevented
- people who attempt with law lethal methods are not serious; many are uninformed
about pill dosages and human anatomy
Secondary reinforcer in somatic symptom disorders - Answers - - attention, sympathy,
etc.
- conversion disorder treatment removes sources of these
Which somatic symptom disorders require evidence that the symptoms exist in the
absence of an organic or biological cause - Answers - - conversion disorder (functional
neurological symptom disorder)
- physical problems without an organic cause
Factitious disorder imposed on another - Answers - a condition in which one person
induces illness symptoms in someone else
Depersonalization - Answers - - distortion in perception of one's own body or experience
(your own body isn't real)
- lose your own sense of reality
Derealization - Answers - - losing sense of the external world (sense of living in a
dream)
- sense of reality of the external world is not
Fugue state - Answers - - a person travels or wanders, sometimes assuming a new
identity in a different place
- they're unable to remember how or why they ended up in a new place
ANSWERS
hypomanic episode - Answers - These episodes show symptoms of mania but they're
less intense. Does not involve significant impairment
manic episode - Answers - Elevated, expansive mood for at least one week, inflated
self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, racing thought, easily distracted, pleasurable
but risky behavior, more goal-directed activity. Impairment not normal in functioning, not
caused by direct physiological events or medical condition.
bipolar disorder - Answers - All forms of bipolar disorder have the defining feature of
mania. Usually involves episodes of depression alternating with mania.
mood disorder - Answers - -gross deviations in mood
- unipolar: involves only depressive symptoms
- bipolar: involves manic symptoms also
mood episode - Answers - -Periods of depressed or elevated mood lasting days or
weeks
- MDE
- Persistent depression
- Manic and hypomanic episodes
neurobiological factors in mood disorder etiology - Answers - - genetics: heritability
factors (37% MDD, 93% bipolar disorder)
- neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and serotonin)
- concordance rates are high in identical twins (two or three times more likely to present
with mood disorders than a fraternal twin of a depressed co-twin
- heritability rates are higher compared to males
- much research to identify specific genes involved in mood disorders, but the results of
most studies have not been replicated
- gene influencing dopamine function appears related to MDD
psychological factors that play a role in mood disorder etiology - Answers - -
psychodynamic model: no strong research support
- behavioral model: modest research support
- cognitive views: considerable research support
Beck's cognitive theory of depression - Answers - - 1967, 1976
- Negative triad: Broadly negative views of self, world, future, self defeating attitudes
learned during childhood
- Negative schema: underlying tendency to see the world negatively
,- Negative schema cause cognitive biases/errors: tendency to process information in
negative ways, minimization of the positive and magnification of the negative
Treatments for mood disorders - Answers - - half of people with MDD, PDD receive
professional treatment, can be divided into: psychological, sociocultural, biological
- psychodynamic: widely used, no strong research to support its effectiveness
- behavioral: used for mild or moderate depression, practiced less in the last decade
- cognitive: performs well, large and growing clinical following, likely the most effective,
but not relapse proof, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, biological
Theories on how psychopharmacological interventions affect symptoms of mood
disorders - Answers - the intervention of drugs alone or psychological treatments alone
do not prove as effective as the combination of psychological therapy and
pharmacological interventions in mood disorders
ECT - Answers - - reserved for treatment non- responders
- induce brain seizure and momentary unconsciousness
- 6 to 12 sessions over 2 to 4 weeks
- bilateral or unilateral
- causes memory loss
ECT leading hypothesis in severe mood symptoms - Answers - - more effective than
any other treatment for severe depression
- combination of psychotherapy and drug therapy is modestly more helpful to depressed
people than either treatment alone
- depression may be having too many connections between certain brain areas. ECT
may help to reduce connections between areas such as the frontal lobe with regions
involved in emotional control
- it has been found to increase levels of nerve growth factor that trigger the birth of new
brain cells and revitalize damaged connections in the hippocampus
Suicidal ideation - Answers - - thoughts of killing oneself
Non-suicidal self injury - Answers - - behaviors intended to injure oneself without the
intent to kill oneself
- cutting, burning, scratching, interfering with wound healing
- does not include overdosing, substance use, eating disorders, body piercing, or
tattooing
Consistent risk factors for suicide - Answers - - mental illness
- previous suicide attempt
- serious physical illness/chronic pain
- family history
- history of mental illness and suicide
- shame/despair
- aggression/ impulsivity
, - triggering event
- access to lethal means
- suicide exposure
- inflexible thinking
- genes, stress, and mood
Suicide contagion - Answers - - a person is more likely to commit suicide after hearing
about someone else committing suicide
- family members, friends, celebrities, other highly publicized suicides are common
triggers
- The media can worsen the problem
- sensationalizing/ romanticizing suicide
- describing lethal methods of committing suicide
Common suicide myths - Answers - - People who discuss it won't do it; 3/4 of people
who commit communicate their intentions before
- Its committed without warning; people usually give many warnings ("the world would
be better without me"
- suicidal people want to die; most people are thankful after suicide is prevented
- people who attempt with law lethal methods are not serious; many are uninformed
about pill dosages and human anatomy
Secondary reinforcer in somatic symptom disorders - Answers - - attention, sympathy,
etc.
- conversion disorder treatment removes sources of these
Which somatic symptom disorders require evidence that the symptoms exist in the
absence of an organic or biological cause - Answers - - conversion disorder (functional
neurological symptom disorder)
- physical problems without an organic cause
Factitious disorder imposed on another - Answers - a condition in which one person
induces illness symptoms in someone else
Depersonalization - Answers - - distortion in perception of one's own body or experience
(your own body isn't real)
- lose your own sense of reality
Derealization - Answers - - losing sense of the external world (sense of living in a
dream)
- sense of reality of the external world is not
Fugue state - Answers - - a person travels or wanders, sometimes assuming a new
identity in a different place
- they're unable to remember how or why they ended up in a new place
