Psychopathology

• Abnormality


  • Deviation from social norms
  • Failure to function adequately
  • Statistical infrequency
  • Deviation from ideal mental health
• Deviation from social norms

  Behavior that violates the accepted standards of behavior in a society
• Failure to function adequately


  When an individual is unable to cope with everyday life and perform daily activities
• Statistical infrequency


  Abnormal behavior is defined as behavior that is rare or statistically unusual
• Deviation from ideal mental health


  Abnormality is defined by the absence of characteristics that contribute to a person's ideal mental well-being
• Ideal mental health


  Positive self-attitudes, personal growth, integration, autonomy, accurate perception of reality, and environmental mastery
• Marie Jahoda


  Proposed the criteria for ideal mental health
• DSM-5


  The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, used by clinicians to diagnose mental disorders
• Biological approach to explaining OCD

  • Genetic and neural explanations
• Diathesis-stress model


  The theory that a psychological disorder is caused by a genetic vulnerability triggered by environmental stress
• Genetic explanations for OCD


  • OCD is polygenic, meaning multiple genes contribute to its development. Candidate genes include COMT and SERT
• Serotonin in OCD


  Low levels of serotonin are linked to OCD symptoms, affecting mood and anxiety regulation
• Cognitive-behavioral approach to treating OCD


  Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) which includes exposure and response prevention (ERP)
• Exposure and response prevention (ERP)


  A CBT technique where individuals are exposed to anxiety-provoking stimuli and prevented from performing their compulsive behaviors
• SSRIs


  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; they increase levels of serotonin in the brain to help reduce OCD symptoms
• Phobias


  Intense, irrational fears of specific objects or situations, classified as specific phobias, social phobia, and agoraphobia
• Systematic desensitization


  A behavioral therapy for phobias involving gradual exposure to the feared object or situation paired with relaxation techniques
• Flooding


  A behavioral therapy for phobias where a person is exposed to their fear at its worst until the anxiety diminishes
• Depression


  A mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest. It is classified as major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, etc.
• Beck's cognitive triad


  A cognitive explanation for depression involving negative views about the self, the world, and the future
• Ellis's ABC model


  A cognitive explanation for depression where A stands for activating event, B for beliefs, and C for consequences
• CBT for depression


  Cognitive-behavioral therapy; it focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors associated with depression
• Behavioral characteristics of depression


  • Changes in activity levels, disrupted sleep and eating patterns, and aggression or self-harm
• Cognitive characteristics of depression

  • Poor concentration, focusing on the negative, and absolutist thinking
• Emotional characteristics of phobias


  • Persistent and excessive fear, anxiety, and panic