question

psychological disorder

answer

psychological dysfunction associated with distress or impairment in functioning that is not a typical or culturally expected response

question

phobia

answer

psychological disorder characterized by marked and persistent fear of an object or situation

question

abnormal behavior

answer

actions that are unexpected and often evaluated negatively because they differ from typical or usual behavior

question

psychopathology

answer

scientific study of psychological disorders

question

scientist-practitioner

answer

mental health professional expected to apply scientific methods to his or her work; must know the latest research on diagnosis and treatment, must evaluate his or her methods for effectiveness, and may generate research to discover information about disorders and their treatment

question

presenting problem

answer

original complaint reported by the client to the therapist; the actual treated problem may be a modification derived from this

question

clinical description

answer

details of the combination of behavior, thoughts, and feelings of an individual that make up a particular disorder

question

prevalence

answer

number of people displaying a disorder in the total population at any given time

question

incidence

answer

number of new cases of a disorder appearing during a specific period

question

course

answer

pattern of development and change of a disorder over time

question

prognosis

answer

predicted development of disorder over time

question

etiology

answer

cause or source of a disorder

question

exorcism

answer

religious ritual that attributes disordered behavior to possession by demons and seeks to treat the individual by driving the demons from the body

question

psychosocial treament

answer

treatment practices that focus on social and cultural factors (such as family experience), as well as psychological influences; these approaches include cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal methods

question

moral therapy

answer

psychosocial approach in the 19th century that involved treating patients as normally as possible in normal environments

question

mental hygiene movement

answer

19th century effort to improve care of the mentally disordered by informing the public of their mistreatment

question

psychoanalysis

answer

assessment and therapy pioneered by Sigmund Freud that emphasizes exploration of, and insight into, unconscious processes and conflicts

question

behaviorism

answer

explanation of human behavior, including dysfunction, based on principles of learning and adaptation derived from experimental psychology

question

unconscious

answer

part of the psychic makeup that is outside the awareness of the person

question

catharsis

answer

rapid or sudden release of emotional tension thought to be an important factor is psychoanalytic theory

question

psychoanalytic model

answer

complex and comprehensive theory originally advanced by Sigmund Feud that seeks to account for the development and structure of personality, as well as the origin of abnormal behavior, based primarily on inferred inner entities and forces

question

id

answer

in psychoanalysis, the unconscious psychic entity present at birth representing basic drives

question

ego

answer

in psychoanalysis, the psychic entity responsible for finding realistic and practical ways to satisfy id drives

question

superego

answer

in psychoanalysis, the psychic entity representing the internalized moral standards of parents and society

question

intrapsychic conflicts

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, a struggle among the id, ego and supergego

question

defense mechanisms

answer

common pattern of behavior, often an adaptive coping style when it occurs, in moderation, observed in response to a particular situation; psychoanalytic theory suggests that defense mechanisms are unconscious processes originating in the ego

question

psychosexual stages of development

answer

psychoanalytic concept of the sequence of phases a person passes through during development; each stage is named for the location on the body where id gratification is maximal at that time

question

castration anxiety

answer

in psychoanalysis, the fear in young boys that they will be mutilated genitally because of their lust for their mothers

question

neurosis

answer

obsolete psychodynamic term for a psychological disorder thought to result from an unconscious conflict and the anxiety it causes

question

ego psychology

answer

psychoanalytic theory that emphasizes the role of the ego in development and attributes psychological disorders to failure of the ego to manage impulses and internal conflicts (also known as self psychology)

question

object relations

answer

modern development in psychodynamic theory involving the study of how children incorporate the memories and values of people who are close and important to them

question

collective unconscious

answer

accumulated wisdom of a culture collected and remembered across generations, a psychodynamic concept introduced by Carl Jung

question

free association

answer

psychoanalytic theory technique intended to explore threatening material repressed into the unconscious; the patient is instructed to say whatever comes to mind without censoring

question

dream analysis

answer

psychoanalytic therapy method in which dream content is examined as symbolic of id impulses and intraphysic conflicts

question

psychoanalyst

answer

therapist who practice psychoanalysis after earning either an MD or PhD degree and receiving additional specialized postdoctoral training

question

transference

answer

psychoanalytic concept suggesting that clients may seek to relate to the therapist as they do to important authority figures, particularly their parents

question

psychodynamic psychotherapy

answer

contemporary version of psychoanalysis that still emphasizes unconscious processes and conflicts but is briefer and more focused on specific problems

question

self-actualizing

answer

process emphasized in humanistic psychology in which people strive to achieve their highest potential against difficult life experiences

question

person-centered therapy

answer

therapy method in which the client, rather than the counselor, primarily directs the course of the discussion seeking self-discovery and self-responsibility

question

unconditioned positive regard

answer

acceptance by the counselor of the client's feelings and actions without judgment or condemnation

question

behavioral model

answer

explanation of human behavior, including dysfunction, based on principles of learning and adaptation derived from experimental psychology

question

classical conditioning

answer

fundamental learning process first described by Ivan Pavlov, an event that automatically elicits a response is paired with another stimulus event that does not (a neutral stimulus); after repeated pairings, te neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that by itself can elicit the desired response

question

extinction

answer

learning process in which a response maintained by reinforcement in operant conditioning or pairing in classical conditioning decreases when that reinforcement or pairing is removed; also the procedure of removing that reinforcement or pairing

question

introspection

answer

early, nonscientific approach to the study of psychology involving systematic attempts to report thoughts and feelings that specific stimuli evoked

question

systematic desensitization

answer

behavioral therapy technique to diminish excessive fears, involving gradual exposure to the feared stimulus paired with a positive coping experience, usually relaxation

question

behavior therapy

answer

array of therapeutic methods based on the principles of behavioral and cognitive science, as well as principles of learning as applied to clinical problems; it considers specific behaviors rather then inferred conflicts as legitimate targets for change

question

reinforcement

answer

in operant conditioning, consequences for behavior that strengthen it or increase its frequency; positive reinforcement involves the contingent delivery of a desired consequence; negative reinforcement is that contingent escape from an aversive consequence; unwanted behaviors may result from reinforcement of those behaviors or failure to reinforce desired behaviors

question

shaping

answer

in operant conditioning, the development of a new response by reinforcing successively more similar versions of that response; both desirable and undesirable behaviors may be learned in this manner

question

mood disorders

answer

a group of disorders involving severe and enduring disturbances in emotionality ranging from elation to severe depression

question

major depressive episode (single or recurrent)

answer

mood disorder involving one major depressive episode; mood disorder involving multiple (separated by at least 2 months without depression) major depressive episodes

question

mania

answer

period of abnormally excessive elation or euphoria associated with some mood disorders

question

hypomanic episode

answer

less severe and less disruptive version of a manic episode that is one of the criteria for several mood disorders

question

mixed features

answer

term for experiencing depressive symptoms during a manic or hypomanic episode, or experiencing manic symptoms during a depressive episode

question

recurrent

answer

term used to characterize repeated mood episodes divided by periods of full or partial remission

question

persistent depressive disorder

answer

mood disorder characterized by two years or more of depressed or dysthmic mood which may vary in severity

question

double depression

answer

severe mood disorder typified by major depression episodes superimposed over a background of dysthmic disorder

question

integrated grief

answer

a stage of grieving at which the finality of death and the meaning of the loss are acknowledged and appreciated

question

complicated grief

answer

a reaction to loss characterized by persistent intense grief and persistent distracting or impairing concerns about the consequences or circumstances of the loss

question

premenstrual dysphoric disorder

answer

a mood disorder in women characterized by marked depressive, anxious, or irritable symptoms, regularly occurring around the time of menstruation

question

disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

answer

in children, a mental disorder characterized by recurrent temper outbursts occurring against a black-ground of irritable mood

question

bipolar I disorder

answer

alternation of major depressive episodes with full manic episodes

question

bipolar II disorder

answer

alternation of major depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes (not full manic episodes)

question

cyclothymic disorder

answer

chronic (at least 2 years) mood disorder characterized by alternating mood elevation and depression levels that are not as sever as manic or major depressive episodes

question

multidimensional integrative approach

answer

approach to the study of psychopathology that holds psychological disorders are always the products of multiple interacting causal factors

question

genes

answer

long deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule, that basic physical unit of heredity that appears as a location on a chromosome

question

diathesis-stress model

answer

hypothesis that both an inherited tendency and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder

question

vulnerability

answer

susceptibility or tendency to develop a disorder

question

gene-environment correlation model

answer

model that posits one's genetic make-up may increase the probability that an individual will experience certain events (such as stressful relationships) that trigger genetic vulnerabilities to disorders

question

epigenetics

answer

the study of factors other than inherited DNA sequence, such as new learning or stress, that alter the phenotypic expression of genes

question

neuroscience

answer

study of the nervous system and its role in behavior, thoughts, and emotions

question

neuron

answer

individual nerve cell responsible for transmitting information

question

synaptic cleft

answer

space between nerve cells where chemical transmitters act to move impulses from one neuron to the next

question

neurotransmitters

answer

chemical that crosses the synaptic cleft between nerve cells to transmit impulses from one neuron to the next; relative excess or deficiency of neurotransmitters is involved in psychological disorders

question

hormone

answer

chemical messenger produced by the endocrine glands

question

brain circuits

answer

neurotransmitter current or neural pathway in the brain

question

agonist

answer

in neuroscience, a chemical substance that effectively increases the activity of a neurotransmitter by imitating its effects

question

antagonist

answer

in neuroscience, a chemical substance that decreases or blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter

question

inverse agonist

answer

in neuroscience, a chemical substance that produces effects of opposite of those of a particular neurtransmitter

question

reuptake

answer

action by which a neurotransmitter is quickly drawn back into the discharging neuron after being released into a synaptic cleft

question

glutamate

answer

amino acid neurotransmitter that excites many different neurons, leading to action

question

gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

answer

neurotransmitter that reduces activity across the synaptic cleft and thus inhibits a range of behaviors and emotions, especially generalized anxiety

question

serotonin

answer

neurotransmitter involved in processing of information and coordination of movement, as well as inhibition and restraint; it also assists in the regulation of eating, sexual and aggressive behaviors, all of which may be involved in different psychological disorders, its interaction with dopamine is implicated in schizophrenia

question

norepinephrine

answer

neurotransmitter active in the central and peripheral nervous system, controlling heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, among other functions; because of its role in the body's alarm reaction, it may also contribute to generally and indirectly to panic attacks and other disorders

question

dopamine

answer

neurotransmitter whose generalized function is to active other neurotransmitters and to aid in exploratory and pleasure-seeking behaviors, a relative excess of dopamine is implicated in schizophrenia (although contradictory evidence suggests the connection is not simple), and its deficit is involved in Parkinson's disease

question

cognitive science

answer

field of study that examines how humans and other animals acquire process, store and retrieve information

question

learned helplessness theory of depression

answer

Martin Seligman's theory that people become anxious and depressed when they make an attribution that they have no control over the stress in their lives (whether or not they actually have control)

question

modeling

answer

learning through observation and imitation of the behavior of other individuals and consequences of that behavior

question

prepared learning

answer

ability adaptive for evolution, allowing certain associations to be learned more readily than others

question

implicit memory

answer

condition of memory in which a person cannot recall past events despite acting in response to them

question

flight or fight response

answer

biological reaction to alarming stressors that musters the body's resources to resist or flee a threat

question

emotion

answer

pattern of action elicited by an external event and a feeling state, accompanied by a characteristic physiological response

question

mood

answer

enduring period of emotionality

question

affect

answer

conscious, subjective aspect of an emotion that accompanies an action at a given time

question

equifinality

answer

developmental psychopathology principle that a behavior or disorder may have several causes

question

neurohormones

answer

hormones that affect the brain and are increasingly the focus of study in psychopathology

question

clinical assessment

answer

systematic evaluation and measurement of psychological, biological and social factors in a person presenting with a possible psychological disorder

question

daignosis

answer

process of determining whether a presenting problem meets established criteria for a specific psychological disorder

question

reliability

answer

degree to which a measurement is consistent - for example. over time or among different raters

question

validity

answer

degree to which a technique measures what it purports to measure

question

standardization

answer

process of establishing specific norms and requirements for a measurement technique to ensure it is used consistently across measurement occasions (exp. instructions for administering the measure, evaluating its findings, and comparing these to data for large numbers of people)

question

mental status exam

answer

relatively coarse preliminary test for a client's judgment, orientation to time and place, and emotional and mental state; typically conducted during an initial interview

question

behavioral assessment

answer

measuring, observing and systematically evaluating (rather than inferring) the client's thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the actual problem situation or context

question

self-monitoring

answer

action by which clients observe and record their own behaviors as either an assessment of a problem and its change or a treatment procedure that makes them more aware of their responses

question

projective tests

answer

psychoanalytically based measure that presents ambiguous stimuli to clients on the assumption that their responses can reveal their unconscious conflicts, such tests are inferential and lack high reliability and validity

question

personality inventory

answer

self-report questionnaire that assesses personal traits by asking respondents to identify descriptions that apply to themselves

question

intelligence quotient, IQ

answer

score on an intelligence test estimating a person's deviation from average test performance

question

neuropsychological testing

answer

assessment of brain and nervous system functioning by testing an individual's performance on behavioral tasks

question

false positive

answer

assessment error in which pathology is reported (test results are positive) when none is actually present

question

false negative

answer

assessment error in which no pathology is noted (test results are negative) when one is actually present

question

neuroimaging

answer

sophisticated computer-aided procedure that allows non intrusive examination of nervous system structure and function

question

psycho physiological assessment

answer

measurement of changes in the nervous system reflecting psychological or emotional events such as anxiety, stress and sexual arousal

question

electroencephalogram (EEG)

answer

measure of electrical activity patterns in the brain, taken through electrodes placed on the scalp

question

idiographic strategy

answer

a close and detailed investigation of an individual emphasizing what makes the person unique

question

nomothetic strategy

answer

identification and examination of large groups of people with the same disorder to note similarities and develop general laws

question

classification

answer

assignment of objects or people to categories on the basis of shared categories

question

taxonomy

answer

system of naming and classification (for example, of specimens) in science

question

nosology

answer

classification and the naming system for medical and psychological phenomena

question

nomenclature

answer

in a naming system or nosology, the actual labels or names that are applied; in psychopathology, these include mood disorders and eating disorders

question

classical categorical approach

answer

classification method founded on the assumption of clear-cut differences among disorders, each with a different known cause (also known as pure categorical approach)

question

dimensional approach

answer

method of categorizing characteristics on a continuum rather than on a binary, either-or, or all-or-none basis

question

prototypical approach

answer

system for categorizing disorders using both essential, defining characteristics and a range of variation on other characteristics

question

familial aggregation

answer

extent to which a disorder would be found among a patient's relatives

question

comorbidity

answer

presence of two or more disorders in an individual at the same time

question

labeling

answer

applying a name to a phenomenon or a pattern of behavior, the label may acquire negative connotations or be applied erroneously to the person rather than that person's behavior

question

hypothesis

answer

educated guess or statement to be tested by research

question

research design

answer

plan of experimentation used to test a hypothesis

question

dependent variable

answer

in an experimental study, the phenomenon that is measured and expected to be influenced

question

independent variable

answer

phenomenon manipulated by the experimenter in a study and expected to influence the dependent variable

question

internal validity

answer

extent to which the results of a study can be attributed to the independent variable after confounding alternative explanations have been ruled out

question

external validity

answer

extent to which research findings generalize, or apply, to people and settings not involved in the study

question

testability

answer

ability of a hypothesis, for example, to be subjected to scientific scrutiny and to be accepted or rejected, a necessary condition for the hypothesis to be useful

question

confound

answer

any factor occurring in a study that makes the results uninterpretable because a variable other than the independent variable also affect the dependent variable

question

control group

answer

group of individuals in a study who are similar to the experimental subjects in every way but are not exposed to the treatment received by the experimental group; their presence allows for a comparison of the differential effects of the treatment

question

randomization

answer

method for placing individuals intro research groups that assures each an equal chance of being assigned to any group, thus eliminating any systematic differences across groups

question

analogue model

answer

approach to research that employs subjects who are similar to clinical clients, allowing a replication of a clinical problem under controlled conditions

question

generalizibaility

answer

extent to which research results apply to a range of individuals not included in the study

question

statistical significance

answer

small probability of obtaining the observed research findings by chance

question

clinical significance

answer

degree to which research findings have useful and meaningful applications to real problems

question

effect size

answer

a statistical process that eliminates how large a change in measure occurred, often used before and after a clinical treatment to determine its relative success

question

patient uniformity myth

answer

tendency to consider all members of a category as more similar than they are, ignoring their individual differences

question

case study method

answer

research procedure in which a single person or small group is studied in detail; the method does not allow conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships, and findings can be generalized only with great caution

question

correlation

answer

degree to which two variables are association, in a positive correlation, the two variables increase or decrease together; in a negative correlation, one variable decreases as the other increases

question

positive correlation

answer

association between two variables in which one increases as the other increases

question

correlation coefficient

answer

computed statistic reflecting the strength and direction of any association between two variables, it can range from 21.00 through 00.00 (indicating no association) to 11.00, with the absolute value indicating the strength and the sign reflecting the direction

question

negative correlation

answer

association between two variables in which one increases as the other decreases

question

directionality

answer

possibility that when two variables, A and B, are correlated variable A causes variable B or variable B causes variable A

question

epidemiology

answer

psychopathology research method examining the prevalence, distribution, and consequences of disorders in populations

question

experiment

answer

research method that can establish causation by manipulating the variables in question and controlling for alternative explanations of any observed effects

question

placebo effect

answer

behavior change resulting from the person's expectation of change rather than from the experimental manipulation itself

question

placebo control group

answer

in outcome research, a control group that does not receive the experimental manipulation but is given a similar procedure with an identical expectation of change, allowing the researcher to assess any placebo effect

question

double-blind control

answer

procedure in outcome research that prevents bias by ensuring that neither the subjects nor the providers of the experimental treatment know who is receiving treatment and who is receiving a placebo

question

comparative treatment research

answer

outcome research that contrasts two or more treatment methods to determine which is most effect

question

single-case experimental design

answer

research tactic in which an independent variable is manipulated for a single individual, allowing cause-and-effect conclusions but with limited generalizibaility

question

repeated measurement

answer

when responses are measured on more than two occasions to asses trends

question

variability

answer

degree of change in phenomenon over time

question

trend

answer

direction of change of a behavior or behaviors (increasing or decreasing)

question

level

answer

degree of behavior change with different interventions (high or low)

question

withdrawal design

answer

removing a treatment to note whether it has been effective; in single-case experimental designs, a behavior is measured (baseline), an independent variable is introduced (intervention), and then the intervention is withdrawn, because the behavior continues to be measured throughout (repeated measurement) any effects of the intervention can be noted

question

baseline

answer

measured rate of a behavior before introduction of an intervention that allows comparison and assessment of the effects of the intervention

question

multiple baseline

answer

single-case experimental design in which measures are taken on two or more behaviors or on single behavior in two or more situation; a particular intervention is introduced for each at different times; if behavior change is coincident with each introduction, this is strong evidence the intervention caused the change

question

phenotype

answer

observable characteristics or behaviors of an individuals

question

genotype

answer

specific genetic makeup of an individual

question

human genome project

answer

ongoing scientific attempt to develop a comprehensive map of all human genes

question

endophenotype

answer

genetic mechanism that contributes to the underlying problems causing the symptoms and difficulties experienced by people with psychological disorders

question

family studies

answer

genetic study that examines patterns of traits and behaviors among relatives

question

proband

answer

in genetics research, the individual displaying the trait or characteristic being studied

question

adoption studies

answer

in genetics research, the study of first-degree relatives reared in different families and environments; if they share common characteristics, such as a disorder, this finding suggests that those characteristics have a genetic component

question

twin studies

answer

in genetics research, the comparison of twins with unrelated or less closely related individuals; if twins, particularly monozygotic twins who share identical genotypes, share common characteristics such as a disorder, even if they were reared in different environments, then strong evidence of genetic involvement in those characteristics exist

question

genetic linkage analysis

answer

study that seeks to match the inheritance pattern of a disorder to that of a genetic marker; this helps researchers establish the location of the gene responsible for the disorder

question

genetic marker

answer

inherited characteristic for which the chromosal location of the responsible gene is known

question

association studies

answer

research strategy for comparing genetic markers in groups of people with and without a particular disorder

question

cross-sectional design

answer

methodology to examine a characteristic by comparing individuals of different ages

question

cohort

answer

participants in each age group of a study with a cross-sectional design

question

cohort effect

answer

observation that people of different age groups differ in their values and experiences

question

retrospective information

answer

literally "the view back"; data collected by examining records or recollections of the past; it is limited by the accuracy, validity, and thoroughness of the sources

question

longitudinal design

answer

systematic study of changes in the same individual or group examined over time

question

cross-generational effect

answer

limit on the generalizability of longitudinal research because the group under study may differ from others in culture and experience

question

sequential design

answer

combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs involving repeated study of different cohorts over time

question

depressive cognitive triad

answer

thinking errors by depressed people negatively focused in three areas: themselves, their immediate world, and their future

question

anxiety

answer

mood state characterized by marked negative affect and bodily symptoms of tension in which a person apprehensively anticipates future danger or misfortune; anxiety may involve feelings, behaviors and physiological responses

question

fear

answer

emotion of an immediate alarm reaction to present danger or life-threatening emergencies

question

panic

answer

sudden, overwhelming fright or terror

question

panic attack

answer

abrupt experience of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by several physical symptoms, such as dizziness or heart palpitations, and/or catastrophic thoughts, such as fear of dying

question

behavioral inhibition system

answer

brain circuit in the limbic system that responds to threat signals by inhibiting activity and causing anxiety

question

flight/fight system

answer

brain circuit in animals that when stimulated causes an immediate alarm-and-escape response resembling human panic

question

generalized anxiety disorder

answer

anxiety disorder characterized by intense, uncontrollable, unfocused, chronic and continuous worry that is distressing and unproductive, accompanied by physical symptoms such as tension, irritability, and restlessness

question

panic disorder

answer

recurrent, unexpected panic attacks accompanied by anxiety about future attacks

question

agoraphobia

answer

anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult in the event of panic-like symptoms or other unpleasant physical symptoms

question

panic control treatment

answer

cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic attacks, involving gradual exposure to feared somatic sensations and modification of perceptions and attitudes about them

question

specific phobia

answer

unreasonable fear of a specific object or situation that causes significant distress or markedly interferes with daily life functioning

question

blood-injection-injury phobia

answer

unreasonable fear and avoidance of exposure to blood, injury, or the possibility of an injection; victims experience fainting and a dropping in blood pressure

question

situational phobia

answer

anxiety involving enclosed places or public transportation

question

natural environment phobia

answer

fear of situations or events in nature, especially heights, storms, and water

question

animal phobia

answer

unreasonable, enduring fear of animals or insects that usually develop early in life

question

separation anxiety disorder

answer

excessive, enduring fear about being apart from caregiving loved ones such as a spouse or parent

question

social anxiety disorder

answer

extreme, enduring, irrational fear and avoidance of social or performance situations

question

selective mutism

answer

developmental disorder characterized by a consistent failure to speak in specific social situations despite speaking in other situations

question

trauma-and stressor- related disorders

answer

a group of mental disorders distinguished by their origin in stressful events

question

posttraumatic stress disorder

answer

enduring, distressing emotional disorder that follows exposure to a traumatic event; the victim reexperiences the trauma, avoids stimuli associated with it, and develops a numbing of responsiveness and an increased vigilance and arousal

question

acute stress disorder

answer

severe reaction immediately following a traumatic event, often including amnesia about the event, emotional numbing, and derealization; many victims later develop PTSD

question

adjustment disorders

answer

prolonged negative emotional reaction following a major life stressor

question

attachment disorders

answer

childhood mental disorders characterized by difficulty forming normal relationships, usually as a result of inadequate caregiving relationships

question

reactive attachment disorder

answer

in children, a pattern of inhibited, withdrawn behavior toward adult caregivers

question

disinhibited social engagement disorder

answer

in children, a pattern of abnormally extroverted behavior toward unfamiliar adults

question

body dysmorphic disorder

answer

mental disorder featuring a disruptive preoccupation with some imaged defect un appearance (imagined ugliness)

question

trichotillomania

answer

mental disorder characterized by recurrent pulling out of one's own hair from anywhere on the body, including the scalp, eyebrows and limbs

question

excoriation

answer

mental disorder characterized by recurrent picking of one's own skin

question

obsessive-compulsive and related disorders

answer

a group of mental disorders characterized by compulsive behaviors, often functioning to relieve anxiety or distress

question

obsessive-compulsive disorder

answer

anxiety disorder involving unwanted, persistent, intrusive thoughts and impulses, as well as repetitive actions intended to suppress them

question

obsessions

answer

recurrent, intrusive and distressing thoughts or impulses that may be neutralized by compulsive behaviors

question

compulsions

answer

repetitive, ritualistic, time-consuming behavior or mental acts a person feels driven to perform, often in response to obsessive thoughts

question

somatic symptom disorder

answer

disorder in which an individual experiences intense and excessive distress or anxiety focused on physical symptoms to the point where daily life is disrupted

question

dissociative disorder

answer

disorder in which individuals feel detached from themselves or their surroundings and feel reality, experience, and identity may disintegrate

question

illness anxiety disorder

answer

disorder in which individuals experience anxiety about the possibility of having a serious disease or illness even though physical symptoms are mild or non existent

question

conversion disorder

answer

physical malfunctioning, such as blindness or paralysis, suggesting neurological impairment but with no organic pathology to account for it

question

malingering

answer

deliberate faking of a physical or psychological disorder motivated by gain

question

factitious disorder

answer

nonexistent or psychological disorder deliberately faked for no apparent gain except, possibly, sympathy and attention

question

depersonalization

answer

altering of perception that causes people to temporarily lose a sense of their own realty, most prevalent in people with the dissociative disorders; there is often a feeling of being outside observers of their own behavior

question

derealization

answer

situation in which the individual loses a sense of the reality of the external world

question

depersonalization-derealization disorder

answer

disorder in which individuals lose a sense of reality to both their external world and their own body

question

dissociative amnesia

answer

dissociative disorder featuring the inability to recall personal information; usually of a stressful or traumatic nature

question

generalized amnesia

answer

loss of memory of all personal information, including identity

question

localized / selective amnesia

answer

memory loss limited to specific times and events, particularly traumatic events

question

dissociative fugue

answer

dissociative disorder featuring sudden, unexpected travel away from home, along with an inability to recall the past, sometimes with assumption of a new identity

question

dissociative trance disorder

answer

altered state of consciousness in which people firmly believe they are possessed by spirits; considered a disorder only where there is distress and dysfunction

question

dissociative identity disorder

answer

disorder in which as many as 100 personalities or fragments of personalities coexist within one body and mind

question

alters

answer

shorthand term for alter ago, one of the different personalities or identities

question

mood-stabilizing drug

answer

a medication used in the treatment of mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, that is effective in preventing and treating pathological shifts in mood

question

electroconvulsive therapy

answer

biological treatment for severe, chronic depression involving the application of electrical impulses through the brain to produce seizures; the reasons for its effectiveness are unknown

question

cognitive therapy

answer

treatment approach that involves identifying and altering negative thinking styles related to psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety and replacing them with more positive beliefs and attitudes and, ultimately, more adaptive behavior and coping styles

question

interpersonal psychotherapy

answer

brief treatment approach that emphasizes resolution of interpersonal problems and stressors, such as role disputes in marital conflict, forming relationships in marriage, or a new job; it has demonstrated effectiveness for such problems as depression

question

maintenance treatment

answer

combination of continued psychosocial treatment, medication, or both designed to prevent relapse following therapy

question

suicidal attempts

answer

effort made to kill onself

question

suicidal ideation

answer

serious thoughts about committing suicide

question

suicide plans

answer

the formulation of a specific method of killing oneself

question

psychological autopsy

answer

postmortem psychological profile of a suicide victim constructed from interviews with people who knew the person before death

question

behavioral medicine

answer

interdisciplinary approach applying behavioral science to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of medical problems

question

health psychology

answer

sub field of behavioral medicine that studies psychological factors important in health promotion and maintenance

question

general adaptation syndrome

answer

sequence of reactions to sustained stress describes by Hans Selye; these stages are alarm, resistance and exhaustion, which may lead to death

question

stress

answer

body's physiological response to a stress, which is any event or change that requires adapatation

question

self-efficacy

answer

perception of having the ability to cope with stress or challenges

question

immune system

answer

body's means of identifying and eliminating any foreign materials that enter

question

antigens

answer

foreign material that enters the body, including bacteria and parasites

question

autoimmune disease

answer

condition in which the body's immune system attacks healthy tissue rather than antigens

question

rheumatoid arthritis

answer

painful, degenerative disease in which the immune system essentially attacks itself, resulting in stiffness, swelling and even destruction of the joins; cognitive-behavioral treatments can help relieve pain and stiffness

question

psychneuroimmunology

answer

study of psychological influences on the neurological responding involved in the body's immune response

question

AIDS- related complex

answer

group of minor health problems such as weight loss, fever and night sweats that appears after HIV infection but before development of full-blown AIDS

question

cancer

answer

category of often fatal medical conditions involving abnormal cell growth and malignancy

question

psycho-oncology

answer

study of psychological factors involved in the course and treatment of cancer

question

cardiovascular disease

answer

afflictions in the mechanisms, including the heart, blood vessels, and their controllers, responsible for transporting blood to the body's tissues and organs; psychological factors may play important roles in such diseases and their treatments

question

stroke/cerebral vascular accident (CVA)

answer

temporary blockage of blood vessels supplying the brain, or a rupture of vessels in the brain, resulting in temporary or permanent loss of brain functioning

question

hypertension

answer

major risk for stroke and heart and kidney disease that is intimately related to psychological factors; also known as high blood pressure

question

essential hypertension

answer

high blood pressure with no verifiable physical cause, which makes up the overwhelming majority of high blood pressure cases

question

coronary heart disease (CHD)

answer

blockage of the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle; a major cause of death in Western culture, with social and psychological factors involved

question

type A behavior pattern

answer

cluster of behaviors including excessive competitiveness, time-pressured impatience, accelerated speech, and anger, originally thought to promote high risk for heart disease

question

type B behavior pattern

answer

cluster of behaviors including a relaxed attitude, indifference to time pressure, and less forceful ambition; originally thought to promote low risk for heart disease

question

acute pain

answer

pain that typically follows an injury and disappears once the injury heals or is effectively treated

question

chronic pain

answer

enduring pain that does not decrease over time; may occur in muscles, joints, and the lower back; and may be caused by enlarged blood vessels or degenerating or cancerous tissue; other significant factors are social and psychological

question

endogenous opioids

answer

substance occurring naturally throughout the body that functions like a neurotransmitter to shut down pain sensation even in the presence of marked tissue damage; these opioids may contribute to psychological problems such as eating disorders

question

chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

answer

incapacitating exhaustion following only minimal exertion, accompanied by fever, headaches, muscle and joint paint, depression and anxiety

question

biofeedback

answer

use of psychological monitoring equipment to make individuals aware of their own bodily functions, such as blood pressure or brain waves, that they cannot normally access, with the purpose of controlling these functions

question

relaxation response

answer

active components of meditation methods, including repetitive thoughts of a sound to reduce distracting thoughts and closing the mind to other intruding thoughts, the decrease the flow of stress hormones and neurotransmitters and cause a feeling of calm

Abnormal Psychology 1- Duke – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards