Unit 1: Abnormal Psychology – An Overview – Flashcards

The topics and problems within the field surround us daily. ex. Durg and alcoholism, eating disorders in social media or college dorm rooms. Or cases of schizophrenia, anxiety or depression seen in books or movies.

Sampling is the process of selecting a representative subgroup from a defined population of interest. This is done to decide who one should include in a research study. In general, we want to study groups of individuals who have similar abnormalities in behaviour. If we want to study people with panic disorders, for example, we first need to determine the criteria such as those provided in the current DSM for identifying people affected with this clinical disorder. We would then need to find people who fit into our criteria. Ideally, we would need to study everyone in the world who would meet our criteria because these people constitute ur population of interest. However, this is impossible to do, so instead we would try to get a representative sample of people of people who are drawn from this underlying population. Taking samples is important because as researchers we need to study larger groups of individuals with the same problem in order to discover which of our observations or hypothesis possess scientific credibility. However, because it is difficult to study everyone, a sample must be drawn to be able to study the larger population more effectively.

Most sciences rely on classification. At the fundamental level, classification systems provide nomenclature ( a naming system) and enables us to use structure information in a more helpful manner. Organizing information in a classification system also allows us to study the different disorders that we classify and thererfore to learn more, not only about what causes them, but also how they may be treated. In addition, defining the domain of what is considered to be pathelogical establishes the range of problems that the mental health profession can adress. As a consequence, it delineates which types of psychological difficulties warrant insurance reimbursement and the extent of such reimbursement.

Classification provides information in a shorthand form which leads to loss of information. If we have a specific history, personal traits, familial relations, etc. of a person with a particular disorder, we naturally have more information than if we were simply told a diagnosis. Although things are changing, there is still a *stigma* or aspect of disgrace associated with having a psychiatric diagnosis due to the lack of understanding about aspects of mental illness of larger society. Because of this, many people go on unhelped due to fear of this stigma. In relation to stigma is the problem of *stereotyping* ( the automatic beliefs concerning other people based on the minimal and often trivial information). Because we may have heard about certain behaviours that can accompany mental disordes, we may infer these behaviours are also present in any person who meets this psychiatric diagnosis. Finally, *Labeling* can also perpetuate stigma, and a diagnostic label can be difficult to shake even after a full recovery. Regardless of the classification system, the system does not classify the person; it classifies the disorder. It is important that we do not define a person by their disorder. Respectful and appropriate language should always be used.

Within a given culture, there exists many shared beliefs and behaviours that are widely accepted that that may constitute one or more customary practices. Ex. Many in Christian cultures believe the number 13 is unlucky, and the number 14 is unlucky in Japanese culture. There is also considerable variation in the way different cultures describe psychological distress. For example, there is no word for depression in the language of certain Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and southeast Asian cultures. This does not mean that members do not experience clinically significant depression, they just do not have the language to define it. Culture can shape the clinical presentation of disorders like depression, which are present across cultures around the world. In China, for example, people will often focus on their psychical concerns rather than their feelings of melancholy or hopelessness. Despite increase cultural awareness, we still know very little concerning the cultural interpretation and expression of abnormal psychology.

Some types of psychopathology appear to be highly specific to certain cultures: *Taijin Kyofusho*: an anxiety disorder common in Japan involves the marked fear that one's body, body parts, or body function may be offended, embarrassed or otherwise make others feel uncomfortable. People with this disorder are afraid of blushing, upsetting others with their gaze, facial expressions or body odor. *Ataque de nervous*: a Latin and Caribbean syndrome which is often triggered by a stressful event such as divorce or bereavement, including crying, trembling, uncontrolled screaming, and a general feeling of loss of control. A person may turn aggressive, or faint in a seizure-like fit. Once the antaque is over, the person will return to normal without and memory of the incident.

Jamaicans

Through research, we can learn about the symptoms of the disorder, its prevalence, whether it tends to be acute or chronic, and the problems and deficits that often accompany it. Research also allows us to further understand the etiology ( or causes) of disorders. Finally, we need to research to provide the best care for the patients who are seeking assistance with their difficulties. As such, we turn to research literature to help us provide the most effective up-to-date care for the patients we see. Abnormal psychology research can take place in clinics, hospitals, schools, prisons and even highly unstructured contexts such as naturalistic observations of the homeless on the street. It is not the setting that determines whether a given research project may be undertaken. Source information can come from Case Studies, Self-Report Data, Observational Approaches,

pg 18. To make sense of behaviour researchers generate a hypothesis. Then researchers use sampling to get a representative sample of prom the underlying population. The extent to which we can generalize to other samples or contexts or findings is called the external validity, and the internal validity reflects how confident we can be int the results of another study. To test the hypothesis, researchers much have both a comparison or control group and a criterion group.

Correlation research design does not need the manipulation of variables. Rather, the researcher selects certain groups of interest and then compares them to the groups on a variety of different measures. Anytime we study differences individuals who have a particular type of disorder and those who do not know we use correlative studies. A positive correlation is when measures vary together in a direct corresponding manner. Negative correlation shows an inverse correlation. The strength of the correlation is measured by the correlation coefficient which runs from 0 to 1, with the number closer to 1 representing stronger correlation and the (+) or (-) sign indicating the degree of correlation as positive or negatively correlated on the scale.

The probability that the correlation would occur purely by chance is less than 5 out of 100 or p<.05

a statistical approach that calculates and then combines the effect sizes from all of the studies. Each separate study can be thought of as being equivalent to an individual participant in a conventional research design. Because it uses effective sizes, a meta-analysis provides a way better way to summarize research findings than are possible in a literature review.

looking back over time to collect information about patients with information about how the patients behaved early in their lives with the goals of identifying factors that might have been associated with what went wrong later.

Involves looking ahead in time to identify individuals who have a higher than average likelihood of becoming disordered and to focus attention on them before disorder manifests.

a study that follows people over time and that tries to identify factors that predate the onset of a disorder.

Even when we find strong positive or negative correlations between variables, correlational research does not allow us to draw any conclusions about diretionality. To draw a conclusion about causality and resolve questions of directionality and *experimental research* approach must be used. In this approach, scientists control all factors except one- the factor that could have an effect on a variable or outcome of interest. They then actively manipulate that one factor. The factor that is manipulated is the *independent variable*. If the outcome of interest, called the *dependent variable*, is observed to change as the manipulated factor is changed, then the independent variable can be regarded as the cause of the outcome.

every research participant had an equal chance of being placed in the treatment or no-treatment condition.

Case studies can be used to develop a test therapy technique within the scientific framework called ________. In this study, the same individual is studied over time. Behaviour or performance at a specific time can then be compared to behaviour or performance at a later time after a specific intervention is introduced. One of the most experimental designs in this kind of research is the *ABAB Design*: The first A phase acts as the baseline condition where data is simply collected. Then, in the first B-phase, we introduce our treatment. The second A phase is to withdraw the treatment to make sure it did work in comparison to not, and then to make sure the behaviour attained can once again be attained, we reintroduce the B phase again. This studies the effect of a single form of treatment twice in the same subject.

We study not the true item of interest but an approximation to it. Such as studying monkies in their approximation to humans.

The research-based approach to understanding abnormal psychology looks to use scientific inquiry and careful observation to understand abnormalities.

the study of distribution of disease, disorders or health related behabiours in a given population. mental health epidemology is the study of distribution of mental disorders and a key part of this is determing the frequency of mental disorders.

There are several ways the study of epidemiology determines the frequency of disorders. This is done by measuring prevalence and incidences. *prevalence* which refers to the number of active cases in a population during any given period. Prevalence figures are typically expressed in percentages, and several types of prevalence estimates can be made. 1. Point prevalence - refers to the estimated proportion of actual, active cases of a disorder in a given population at a given point in time. 2) 1 year prevalence - refers to everyone who experiences a disorder at any point throughout the entire year. 3) Lifetime prevalence - refers to the estimate of everyone who experiences a disorder over their lifetime. *Incidence* refers to the number of new cases that occur over a given period of time (typically 1 year). Incidence figures tend to be lower than prevalence figures because they exclude preexisting cases.

Detailed info on the studies can be found on pg 12 for quiz purposes. Most common disorders in the USA according to the DSM-5 include Major Depressive Disorder, Alchohol abuse, Specific Phobias, Social phobias and conduct disorders. Although lifetime rates of mental disorders are high, it's important to remember that in some cases, the duration of a disorder may be relatively breif. Furthermore many people who meet criteria may not be seriously affected by it. Meeting diagnosis criteria for a particular disorder ad being seriously impaired by that disorder are not necessarily synonymous. Also, comorbidity is especially high in people with severe mental disorders while only 7 percent of people who had mild disorders had two or more conditions. When the condition is mild, comorbidity is an exception rather than the rule.

The presence of two or more disorders in the same person

Many_____ are not available for psychological disorders. These include medications as well as different forms of psychotherapy. Not all people wit disorders receive treatment by denying or minimalising their suffering. When people do seek help, they usually see their family physician before a mental health specialist and much of mental health treatment is now administered on an outpatient basis.

Outpatient treatment requires that a patient visits a mental health family practitioner; however, a patient does not have to be admitted to a hospital or stay overnight. A patient may attend a community mental health centre, see a private therapist or a community mental health centre through the hospital. Hospitalization and inpatient care are the preferred options for people who need more intensive treatment than can be provided on an outpatient basis.Development of drugs to help disorders, as well as budget cuts in hospitals towards mental health care, are a few reasons for the change in focus. A patient who needs inpatient care is usually admitted to the psychiatric units of a general hospital or private psychiatric hospitls specialising in specific disorders. Stays in these inpatient facilities are much shorter now than they once were. The deinstitutionalization or trend away from long-term hospitalization of mental hospitals began several decades ago.

Clinical Psychologist Counseling Psychologist School Psychologist Psychiatrist Psychoanalysis Clinical Social worker Psychiatric Nurse Pastoral counselor Occupational Therapist Community mental health worker

Ph.D. In psychology with both research and clinical skill specialization and a one-year internship in a mental health center.

Ph.D. in psychology plus internship, or student counseling setting. Deals with adjustment problems over severe mental disorders.

A person with doctoral training in child psychology with additional training and experience in academic learning problems.

M.D who have compleated residency training in a psychiatric setting for 3 years and prescribe medications.

M.D or Ph.D. who has received extensive training in the theory and practice of psychoanalysis

M.S.W. or Ph.D. in social work with specialization in mental health settings

R.N. plus specialization in care and treatment of psychiatric clients.

B.S. in occupational therapy plus internship training with psychically or psychologically handicapped individuals with the aim of helping them make the most of their lives.

Ministerial background plus mental health training as a Chaplin

A person with limited professional training who works with professional direction; usually involved in crisis intervention

Limited professional training but educated in the evaluation and management of alcohol and drug abuse problems.

Is concerned with understanding the nature, causes, and treatment of mental disorders.

Whether a disorder runs in a family

No universal agreement exists because there is no one behaviour or single indicator that makes one abnormal. However, there is a selection of clear indicators that can help. The more an individual has difficulty in the following areas, the more likely they are to have some form of mental disorder: 1. Suffering 2. Maladaptiveness 3. Statistical Deviancy 4. Violation of the Standards of Society 5. Social Discomfort 6. Irrational and Unpredictability 7. Dangerousness

If people experience psychological pain or suffering, we are inclined to consider this as indicative of an abnormality. An example would be a person with depression or anxiety. People can suffer in short term scenarios such as an individual worrying about their exam, but this would not be labeled as abnormal. Suffering is seen as an element of abnormality. However, it is not a sufficient nor necessary condition on its own for one to consider something as abnormal.

This behaviour interferes with wellbeing and with ones ability ti enjoy their work and their relationships. For example, a woman suffering from anorexia restricts herself to the point of hospitalisation. This is often an indicator of abnormality, yet many disorders do not involve ________ behaviours. Maladaptive behaviour can be towards or for society as well, not necessarily by a person towards themselves. For example an individual with antisocial personality disorder who is ______________ in their behaviour to others.

People who defer away from what is considered statistically normal behaviour. However, in this we must make value judgements when defining abnormality since elements that are statistically rare such as "genius" are not considered abnormal behaviour, and a "common cold" though common, is still an illness. Is a behaviour is rare statistically and undesirable by nature and behaviour, one is more likely to consider is abnormal

All cultures have rules, some formalized as laws and others moral standards. although some may be abrbitrary, the failure to follow these in a statistically rare and deviant way may be an indicator of abnormality. ex. a mother drowning their child.

When someone violates a social rule that causes some discomfort to those around them. Example: a person you just met talking about their suicide attempts.

When an individual acts in a way that is ____________ and out of character. Example: a person yelling uncontrolled obscenities with little regard for it being an issue to others. or Disorganised speech and behaviour of a manic bipolar.

A person who is a __________ to them or others. However this again alone is not a sole indicator of abnormality nor does it mean all mentally ill are _____________.

A decision about abnormal behaviour always involves _________ and are based on values and expectations of society at large. Culture plays a large role in determining what is and is not abnormal. Ex. it is illegal to kill a woman for extramarital sex in the USA but is considered Honor killing in Pakistan. Also, because society is always changing, what may be regarded as abnormal in one generation may not be considered two decades later. Ex. Homosexuality or getting tattoos.

The American Psychiatric Association Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the _____________, is the standard for defining various types of mental disorders in the USA.

Although not officially available or complete, the proposed DSM-5 definition of mental illness is based on input from the various DSM-5 workgroups and other sources to create a working description - work in progress description. Within the DSM-5, mental disorders will likely be defined as a behavioural or psychological syndrome ( or pattern) that is present in an individual and that reflects some underlying psychobiological dysfunction. Importantly this behavioural syndrome should result in clinically significant distress, disability or impairment in key areas of functioning. Predictable responses to common stressors or losses are excluded. It is also important that dysfunctional behaviour does not stem from social deviance or conflicts that the personal has with society as a whole.