Clinical Psychology - ALL NOTEs

• What are the 4 D's used in diagnosing mental disorders?

  Deviance, Dysfunction, Distress, Danger
• What does 'Deviance' refer to in the context of mental health diagnosis?

  Statistically abnormal behavior or deviation from norms
• Give an example of 'Deviance' in mental health.

  Talking to people who are not there
• What does 'Dysfunction' mean in diagnosing mental disorders?

  Symptoms that interfere with daily life roles
• Provide an example of 'Dysfunction' in mental health.

  Struggling with personal hygiene
• What does 'Distress' refer to in mental health diagnosis?

  Symptoms causing emotional pain or anxiety
• Give an example of 'Distress' in mental health.

  Panic attack
• What does 'Danger' mean in the context of mental health diagnosis?

  Hazardous behavior jeopardizing safety
• Provide an example of 'Danger' in mental health.

  Thoughts of harm
• What is the significance of considering all 4 D's in diagnosis?

  • Avoids erroneous diagnosis
  • Prevents mislabeling eccentric behavior
  • Ensures debilitating symptoms are recognized
• Which of the 4 D's is considered the least reliable?

  Deviance
• Which of the 4 D's is considered the most reliable?

  Danger
• Why is 'Dysfunction' considered more reliable than 'Deviance'?

  Clinicians use objective measures like WHODAS
• What is a potential negative effect of diagnosing an individual?

  Labelling and self-fulfilling prophecies
• How can diagnosing lead to issues of social control?

  Clinicians can legitimize social exclusion
• What is the DSM?

  A classification system for mental disorders

  
• What is the ICD?

  A multilingual classification system for disorders
• How is a diagnosis made using the DSM?

  Through observation and clinical interviews
• What is a reliability issue found in the DSM?

  Major depressive disorder had a reliability score of 0.2
• What is a strength of the ICD-10 regarding validity?

  Good predictive validity for schizophrenia
• What is the main goal of antipsychotic drugs?

  To reduce dopamine levels in the brain
• What are the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

  Positive Symptoms:

  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Thought disorders

  
  

  Negative Symptoms:

  • Lack of energy/apathy
  • Social withdrawal
  • Flatness of affect
  • Lack of self-preservation
• What is the incidence rate of schizophrenia in the population?

  1% of the population over 18
• What is the typical age range for the onset of schizophrenia?

  Between ages 15 and 45
• How does the course of schizophrenia typically progress?

  Periods of psychotic disturbance and normal functioning
• What is the prognosis for schizophrenia?

  One third recover fully after few episodes
• What is the risk of developing schizophrenia with a first-degree relative?

  Increases to between 6% and 17%
• What is the concordance rate for schizophrenia in monozygotic twins according to Gottesman & Shields?

  42%
• What does the Diathesis Stress Model suggest about schizophrenia?

  Genes create vulnerability triggered by stress
• What role does the COMT gene play in schizophrenia?

  Regulates dopamine breakdown in the prefrontal cortex
• What is the revised dopamine hypothesis?

  Excess dopamine in mesolimbic areas causes positive symptoms
• What is a common treatment for schizophrenia?

  Antipsychotic drugs
• How are antipsychotic drugs administered?

  In tablet form or by injection
• What are the steps in the protocol for using antipsychotic drugs?

  1. Start medication quickly for effectiveness
  2. Monitor symptoms and side effects
  3. Prescribe maintenance drug after symptoms subside
  4. Maintain the maintenance dose
• What symptoms can be caused by a decrease in glutamate?

  Psychosis
• How does a decrease in glutamate affect dopamine levels?

  It leads to increased dopamine release
• What is PCP commonly known as?

  Angel dust
• How does PCP induce hallucinations?

  By inhibiting glutamate action
• What is the most common treatment for schizophrenia?

  Antipsychotic drugs
• What is the goal of antipsychotic drugs?

  To reduce dopamine availability