PSY 333 Exam 2 Study Guide: Abnormal Psychology Disorders and Treatment
Review
Somatoform Disorders - ✔✔Group of conditions that involve physical symptoms and
complaints
Suggest the presence of a medical condition without any evidence of physical pathology
Somatization Disorder - ✔✔History of many physical complaints starting before 30, that occur
over several years and results in treatment being sought or significant impairment, including:
4 pain symptoms
2 gastrointestinal symptoms
1 sexual symptom
1 pseudoneurological symptom
Not explained by GMC or in excess
Not feigned or intentionally produced
Somatic Symptom Disorder - ✔✔One or more somatic symptoms that are distressing or
disruptive
Excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to the somatic symptoms or associated with
health concerns (1 of following):
Disproportionate and persistent thoughts about the seriousness of one's symptoms
Persistently high levels of anxiety about health or symptoms
Excessive time and energy devoted to symptoms or health
Lasts longer than 6 months
Conversion Disorder - ✔✔One or more symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory
function that suggest neurological or medical condition
Psychological symptoms judged to be associated with symptoms
,Not intentionally produced or feigned
Not explained by GMC
Causes distress or impairment
Causal Factors of Conversion Disorder - ✔✔EXTREMELY rare!
.001% prevalence
More common in women
More common in rural, underdeveloped countries, lower SES
High comorbidity with anxiety, depression, medical conditions
Little is known
Stressful life events?
Self-hypnosis? Secondary gain?
Illness Anxiety Disorder - ✔✔Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness
Preoccupation is clearly excessive or disproportionate and there is a high level of anxiety
Performs excessive health-related behaviors or exhibits maladaptive avoidance
Causes clinically significant distress or impairment
Duration of at least six months
Dissasociative Disorders - ✔✔Collection of disorders that involve disruptions in certain aspects
of a person's consciousness, memory, identity, or perception
Dissociative Amnesia
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder
,Disassociative Amnesia - ✔✔Primary disturbance is one or more episodes of inability to recall
important personal information too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness
Causes distress or impairment in functioning
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder - ✔✔Presence of persistent or recurrent experiences
of depersonalization, derealization, or both
Unreality, detachment, or being outside observer with respect to one's thoughts, feelings,
sensations, body, or actions
Unreality or detachment with respect to one's surroundings
Reality testing remains intact
Causes significant distress or impairment
Dissasociative Identity Disorder - ✔✔Presence of two or more distinct identities, each with its
own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment
and the self
At least two of the identities recurrently take control of the person's behavior
Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by
ordinary forgetfulness
Theories of DID - ✔✔Post-traumatic theory
Experience of childhood abuse with escape into fantasy
Sociocognitive theory
Highly suggestible person learn to adopt multiple identities through suggestion
Amok - ✔✔Dissociative episode that leads to violent, aggressive, or homicidal behavior
Characteristics of DID - ✔✔Extremely rare, equal prevalence in males and females, mood and
anxiety disorders commonly comorbid. More common after 1976 after the success of the book
and tv movie Sybil.
, Post Traumatic Theory of DID - ✔✔Says that the experience of childhood abuse leads adults to
create alters that allow them to escape into fantasy.
Sociocognitive Theory of DID - ✔✔Says that highly suggestible people lean to adopt multiple
personalities or identities through suggestion.
Cultural factors of DID - ✔✔Seen in all cultures. Cross Cultural variants include Dissociative
trance disorder, and Amok.
Intoxication - ✔✔The abuse of a substance
Substance Abuse Disorders - ✔✔Involve dependence and addiction. Only have to have 2
symptoms out of the DSM criteria to qualify for a disorder. 2 symptoms over 12 months.
Depressants - ✔✔Substances that slow down the Central nervous system.
Stimulants - ✔✔Substances that speed up the central nervous system
Includes cocaine, crack, amphetamines, methamphetamines, nicotine, and caffeine
Act on the brain and sympathetic nervous system to increase alertness and motor activity
Can decrease pain
Can lead to increased sexual desire, self confidence, and well-being
Exhibits tolerance and withdrawal properties
Chills, nausea, insomnia, paranoia, hallucinations, and irritability
Polysubstance Abuse - ✔✔The use of 2 or more substances at once
Review
Somatoform Disorders - ✔✔Group of conditions that involve physical symptoms and
complaints
Suggest the presence of a medical condition without any evidence of physical pathology
Somatization Disorder - ✔✔History of many physical complaints starting before 30, that occur
over several years and results in treatment being sought or significant impairment, including:
4 pain symptoms
2 gastrointestinal symptoms
1 sexual symptom
1 pseudoneurological symptom
Not explained by GMC or in excess
Not feigned or intentionally produced
Somatic Symptom Disorder - ✔✔One or more somatic symptoms that are distressing or
disruptive
Excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to the somatic symptoms or associated with
health concerns (1 of following):
Disproportionate and persistent thoughts about the seriousness of one's symptoms
Persistently high levels of anxiety about health or symptoms
Excessive time and energy devoted to symptoms or health
Lasts longer than 6 months
Conversion Disorder - ✔✔One or more symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory
function that suggest neurological or medical condition
Psychological symptoms judged to be associated with symptoms
,Not intentionally produced or feigned
Not explained by GMC
Causes distress or impairment
Causal Factors of Conversion Disorder - ✔✔EXTREMELY rare!
.001% prevalence
More common in women
More common in rural, underdeveloped countries, lower SES
High comorbidity with anxiety, depression, medical conditions
Little is known
Stressful life events?
Self-hypnosis? Secondary gain?
Illness Anxiety Disorder - ✔✔Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness
Preoccupation is clearly excessive or disproportionate and there is a high level of anxiety
Performs excessive health-related behaviors or exhibits maladaptive avoidance
Causes clinically significant distress or impairment
Duration of at least six months
Dissasociative Disorders - ✔✔Collection of disorders that involve disruptions in certain aspects
of a person's consciousness, memory, identity, or perception
Dissociative Amnesia
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder
,Disassociative Amnesia - ✔✔Primary disturbance is one or more episodes of inability to recall
important personal information too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness
Causes distress or impairment in functioning
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder - ✔✔Presence of persistent or recurrent experiences
of depersonalization, derealization, or both
Unreality, detachment, or being outside observer with respect to one's thoughts, feelings,
sensations, body, or actions
Unreality or detachment with respect to one's surroundings
Reality testing remains intact
Causes significant distress or impairment
Dissasociative Identity Disorder - ✔✔Presence of two or more distinct identities, each with its
own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment
and the self
At least two of the identities recurrently take control of the person's behavior
Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by
ordinary forgetfulness
Theories of DID - ✔✔Post-traumatic theory
Experience of childhood abuse with escape into fantasy
Sociocognitive theory
Highly suggestible person learn to adopt multiple identities through suggestion
Amok - ✔✔Dissociative episode that leads to violent, aggressive, or homicidal behavior
Characteristics of DID - ✔✔Extremely rare, equal prevalence in males and females, mood and
anxiety disorders commonly comorbid. More common after 1976 after the success of the book
and tv movie Sybil.
, Post Traumatic Theory of DID - ✔✔Says that the experience of childhood abuse leads adults to
create alters that allow them to escape into fantasy.
Sociocognitive Theory of DID - ✔✔Says that highly suggestible people lean to adopt multiple
personalities or identities through suggestion.
Cultural factors of DID - ✔✔Seen in all cultures. Cross Cultural variants include Dissociative
trance disorder, and Amok.
Intoxication - ✔✔The abuse of a substance
Substance Abuse Disorders - ✔✔Involve dependence and addiction. Only have to have 2
symptoms out of the DSM criteria to qualify for a disorder. 2 symptoms over 12 months.
Depressants - ✔✔Substances that slow down the Central nervous system.
Stimulants - ✔✔Substances that speed up the central nervous system
Includes cocaine, crack, amphetamines, methamphetamines, nicotine, and caffeine
Act on the brain and sympathetic nervous system to increase alertness and motor activity
Can decrease pain
Can lead to increased sexual desire, self confidence, and well-being
Exhibits tolerance and withdrawal properties
Chills, nausea, insomnia, paranoia, hallucinations, and irritability
Polysubstance Abuse - ✔✔The use of 2 or more substances at once
