14.1-14.8
14.1- Disorders Interfere With Our Lives
Psychopathology- a sickness or disorder of the mind
● Drawing the line between "normal" emotions, thoughts, and behaviors and a psychological disorder can be difficult
● When a psychological problem disrupts a person's life and causes significant distress over a long period, the problem is
considered a disorder
● Four Criteria:
-Does it deviate from cultural norms for what is acceptable?
-Is it maladaptive?
-Is it self-destructive?
-Does it cause discomfort or concern to others?
● Four Perspectives:
-Identify the etiology
-Assessment of symptoms
-Group of symptoms into meaningful categories to make a diagnosis
-Identify possible treatments
Etiology- factors that contribute to the development of disordered thoughts, emotions, and/or behaviors
-What causes psychological disorders?
● Diathesis-Stress Model- the idea that a disorder may develop when an underlying vulnerability (diathesis) is coupled with stre
-the onset of mental disorders occurs due to both vulnerability for the disorder and the presence of stressful events
-the vulnerability can be biological (genes) or environmental (trauma)
● Biopsychosocial Approach to Psychological Disorders:
-according to this approach, most psychological disorders are influenced by 3 factors:
1. Biological Processes- the biological aspect of this approach focuses on how physiological factors that contribute to psychologi
disorders
● Brain Structure and Function
● Neurotransmitter Imbalances
● Genetics
● Infections
1. Psychological Processes- the biological aspect of this approach focuses on how psychological factors that contribute to
psychological disorders
● Thoughts
● Emotions
● Personality
● Learned Experiences
, 1. Sociocultural Factors- sociocultural factors include family relationships, socioeconomic status, and cultural context
● Some disorders, such as schizophrenia, appear to be more common in lower socioeconomic classes
-This increased occurrence may be due to differences in lifestyles, expectations, and opportunities between classes
14.3- Disordered Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors Can Be Assessed and Categorized
Assessing Symptoms:
1. The first step in an assessment is often to conduct an interview
2. People's self-reports can reveal a great deal
3. A psychological assessor can also gain information through observation of the client's behavior
4. Another source of information regarding psychopathology is psychological testing
Categorizing Disordered Thoughts and Behavior:
● In ancient times, madness was believed to be caused by the gods, witches, or some sort of evil spirits
● Freud and others in the late 1800's and early 1900's shifted the focus from gods and spirits to a neurological basis
● Instead of just one "madness", there are different categories of psychopathology
● DSM-5- disorders are described in terms of observable symptoms
-a person must meet specific criteria to receive a particular diagnosis
-DSM-5 describes 19 major categories of disorder
● People seldom fit into the precise categories of psychological disorders
-Dimensional Approach- considers mental disorders along a continuum on which people vary in degree rather than in kind
● Psychological disorders can occur together
-Comorbidity- many mental disorders may occur together even though the DSM-5 treats them as separate disorders
14.4- Anxiety Disorders Make People Fearful and Tense
-Characterized by excessive anxiety in the absence of true danger
● People feel anxious, tense, and worried about the future
● Focus excessive attention on perceived threats and recall threatening events easier
-Anxiety disorders make people fearful and tense
Effects of Anxiety Disorders:
● Increased sweating, dry mouth, rapid pulse, shallow breathing, and increased muscle tension
● Prolonged anxiety is a chronic stressor that harms the body and brain
● People with anxiety disorders experience cognitive impairment and reduced immune system
Specific Phobia- an anxiety disorder characterized by fear of a specific object or situation that is exaggerated and out of proportion wi
any actual danger
● Phobia is an unreasonable fear of something that is unlikely to harm you
● Fear of a specific object or situation that is out of proportion with an actual threat
14.1- Disorders Interfere With Our Lives
Psychopathology- a sickness or disorder of the mind
● Drawing the line between "normal" emotions, thoughts, and behaviors and a psychological disorder can be difficult
● When a psychological problem disrupts a person's life and causes significant distress over a long period, the problem is
considered a disorder
● Four Criteria:
-Does it deviate from cultural norms for what is acceptable?
-Is it maladaptive?
-Is it self-destructive?
-Does it cause discomfort or concern to others?
● Four Perspectives:
-Identify the etiology
-Assessment of symptoms
-Group of symptoms into meaningful categories to make a diagnosis
-Identify possible treatments
Etiology- factors that contribute to the development of disordered thoughts, emotions, and/or behaviors
-What causes psychological disorders?
● Diathesis-Stress Model- the idea that a disorder may develop when an underlying vulnerability (diathesis) is coupled with stre
-the onset of mental disorders occurs due to both vulnerability for the disorder and the presence of stressful events
-the vulnerability can be biological (genes) or environmental (trauma)
● Biopsychosocial Approach to Psychological Disorders:
-according to this approach, most psychological disorders are influenced by 3 factors:
1. Biological Processes- the biological aspect of this approach focuses on how physiological factors that contribute to psychologi
disorders
● Brain Structure and Function
● Neurotransmitter Imbalances
● Genetics
● Infections
1. Psychological Processes- the biological aspect of this approach focuses on how psychological factors that contribute to
psychological disorders
● Thoughts
● Emotions
● Personality
● Learned Experiences
, 1. Sociocultural Factors- sociocultural factors include family relationships, socioeconomic status, and cultural context
● Some disorders, such as schizophrenia, appear to be more common in lower socioeconomic classes
-This increased occurrence may be due to differences in lifestyles, expectations, and opportunities between classes
14.3- Disordered Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors Can Be Assessed and Categorized
Assessing Symptoms:
1. The first step in an assessment is often to conduct an interview
2. People's self-reports can reveal a great deal
3. A psychological assessor can also gain information through observation of the client's behavior
4. Another source of information regarding psychopathology is psychological testing
Categorizing Disordered Thoughts and Behavior:
● In ancient times, madness was believed to be caused by the gods, witches, or some sort of evil spirits
● Freud and others in the late 1800's and early 1900's shifted the focus from gods and spirits to a neurological basis
● Instead of just one "madness", there are different categories of psychopathology
● DSM-5- disorders are described in terms of observable symptoms
-a person must meet specific criteria to receive a particular diagnosis
-DSM-5 describes 19 major categories of disorder
● People seldom fit into the precise categories of psychological disorders
-Dimensional Approach- considers mental disorders along a continuum on which people vary in degree rather than in kind
● Psychological disorders can occur together
-Comorbidity- many mental disorders may occur together even though the DSM-5 treats them as separate disorders
14.4- Anxiety Disorders Make People Fearful and Tense
-Characterized by excessive anxiety in the absence of true danger
● People feel anxious, tense, and worried about the future
● Focus excessive attention on perceived threats and recall threatening events easier
-Anxiety disorders make people fearful and tense
Effects of Anxiety Disorders:
● Increased sweating, dry mouth, rapid pulse, shallow breathing, and increased muscle tension
● Prolonged anxiety is a chronic stressor that harms the body and brain
● People with anxiety disorders experience cognitive impairment and reduced immune system
Specific Phobia- an anxiety disorder characterized by fear of a specific object or situation that is exaggerated and out of proportion wi
any actual danger
● Phobia is an unreasonable fear of something that is unlikely to harm you
● Fear of a specific object or situation that is out of proportion with an actual threat
