psychopathology

• statistical infrequency


  occurs when an individual has a less common characteristic

  
  

  e.g. 1Q- can lead to a diagnosis of IDD
• real world application (AO3)


  - strength

  - usefulness in clinical practice

  - can diagnose and see severity of symptoms
• unusual characteristics can be positive (AO3)


  - limitation

  - abnormally high IQ for example

  - yet it is not seen as abnormal
• deviation from social norms


  concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community

  
  

  e.g. ASPD
• real world application (AO3)


  - strength

  - usefulness in clinical practice for disorders

  - e.g. ASPD and schizophrenia
• cultural + situational relativism (AO3)


  - limitation

  - something that may be abnormal in one culture is acceptable in another

  - e.g. hearing voices
• failure to function adequately


  unable to cope with every day demands

  - can't conform to standard interpersonal rules

  - severe personal distress

  - irrational behaviour- dangerous

  
  

  - e.g. IDD
• represents a thershold for help (AO3)


  - strength

  - around 25% suffer with symptoms- so people must reach the inability to function to seek help

  - can target those who need help
• discrimination and social control (AO3)


  - limitation

  - easy to label things as abnormal which doesn't need to

  - freedom may be restricted
• deviation from ideal mental health


  can't meet set criteria for good mental health

  - jahoda:

  - no distress

  - rational

  - self-actualise

  - realistic view

  - good self-esteem

  - independent
• a comprehensive definition (AO3)


  - strength

  - highly comprehensive

  - distinguishes a difference from mental health with disorder

  - covers large areas

  - can help people to assess
• may be culture bound (AO3)


  - limitation

  - mostly western based

  - self actualisation, independence, success, working, social, love- differs
• phobia


  an irrational fear of an object or situation
• behavioural characteristics


  how we act

  - panic- screaming, crying, running away

  -avoidance- effort to prevent

  - endurance- keep an eye on phobia
• emotional characteristics


  how we feel

  - anxiety- high arousal, long term, unpleasant

  - fear- extreme

  - unreasonable response- make it appear bigger than it is
• cognitive characteristics


  how we think

  - selective attention- concentrating on phobia if present

  - irrational beliefs- doesn't have basis to reality

  - cognitive distortions- inaccurate and unrealistic views of phobia
• depression


  a mental disorder, low mood, low energy
• behavioural characteristics


  how we act

  - activity levels- low

  - sleep and eating- can increase or decrease

  - aggression and sh- irritable to others and self
• emotional characteristics


  how we feel

  - low mood- sad, empty, worthless

  - anger-

  - low-self esteem
• cognitive characteristics


  how we think

  - poor concentration

  - focus on negative

  - absolutist thinking- extreme good or bad
• OCD


  obsessions, compulsions
• behavioural characteristics


  how we act

  - repetitive

  - acting on compulsions reduces anxiety

  - avoidance- keep away from situations that trigger it (germs)
• emotional characertistics


  how we feel

  - anxiety and distress

  - accompanying depression

  - guilt and disgust- irrational guilt
• cognitive characteristics


  how we think

  - obsessive thoughts- reoccur

  - cognitive coping strategies

  - insight into excessive anxiety- aware
• behavioural approach


  what is observable

  - Mowrer

  - two process model- phobias learned by classical, maintained by operant

  - classical conditioning- association

  - operant conditioning- consequences
• real world application (AO3)


  - strength

  - exposure therapies

  - says phobias are maintained by avoidance- so this breaks that down
• cognitive aspects of phobias (AO3)


  - limitation

  - only accounts for behavioural aspects not cognitive
• phobias and traumatic experiences (AO3)


  - strength

  - evidence for a link between bad experiences and phobias

  - Little Albert study

  
  

  - counterpoint

  - not all phobias come from a traumatic experience
• systematic desensitisation


  - behavioural therapy

  - reduces anxiety

  - anxiety hierarchy

  - relaxation- makes them relaxed so they can't be anxious

  - exposure
• evidence of effectiveness (AO3)


  - strength

  - 42 people, at 3 and 33 months the SD group were less fearful than the control group
• learning disabilities (AO3)


  - strength

  - can help those with disabilities with phobias

  - struggle with cognitive therapies so this is more ideal
• flooding


  - behavioural therapy

  - overexposure- learn that stimulus is harmless

  - ethical safeguarding beforehand
• cost effective (AO3)


  - strength

  -not expensive

  - efficient in a short time
• traumatic (AO3)


  - limitation

  - overexposure

  - highly unpleasant

  - ethical issues- consent

  - therapists avoid
• cognitive approach


  mental processes which affect behaviour- faulty information processing- ignoring positives
• negative triad


  - beck

  - negative schema of world, future, self
• research support (AO3)


  - strength

  -cognitive vulnerabilities common in depression

  - confirmed in prospective study tracking development in teens- resulted in depression
• real world application (AO3)


  - strength

  - screening and treatment

  - cohen et al

  - testing cognitive vulnerability can be applied in CBT
• ABC model


  - ellis

  - a- activating event (causing phobia), b- beliefs (irrational), c- consequences (emotional and behavioural)
• real world application (AO3)


  - strength

  - treatment for cognitive therapy REBT- argues with irrational beliefs

  - effective therapy