Essentials of Understanding Psychology 9th Edition By Robert Feldman PowerPoints by Kimberly Foreman Revised for 9th Ed by Cathleen Hunt Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Chapter 12: Psychological Disorders Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

MODULE 37: Normal Versus Abnormal: Making the Distinction How can we distinguish normal from abnormal behavior? What are the major perspectives on psychological disorders used by mental health professionals? What are the major categories of psychological disorders? Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Defining Abnormality Behavior that causes people to experience distress and prevents them from functioning in their daily lives As deviation from the average As deviation from the ideal As a sense of personal discomfort As the inability to function effectively As a legal concept Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Perspectives on Abnormality Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Six Perspectives Medical Perspective Suggests that when an individual displays symptoms of abnormal behavior, the fundamental cause will be found through a physical examination of the individual Hormonal imbalance Chemical deficiency Brain injury Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Six Perspectives Psychoanalytic Perspective Behavioral Perspective Abnormal behavior stems from childhood conflicts over opposing wishes regarding sex and aggression Freud Behavioral Perspective The behavior itself is the problem Uses basic principles of learning Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Six Perspectives Cognitive Perspective Humanistic Perspective Assumes that cognitions (thoughts and beliefs) are central to a person’s abnormal behavior Humanistic Perspective Concentrates on the view of people as basically rational, oriented toward a social world, and motivated to seek self-actualization Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Six Perspectives Sociocultural Perspective Assumes that people’s behavior is shaped by the kind of family group, society, and culture in which they live Culture may cause or support abnormal behaviors Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

DSM-IV-TR: Determining Diagnostic Distinctions Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision Axis I: Clinical Disorders Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation Axis III: General Medical Conditions Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Major Diagnostic Categories Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

DSM-IV-TR: Determining Diagnostic Distinctions Conning the Classifiers: The Shortcomings of DSM-IV-TR David Rosenhan, et al. (1970s) Sought admission to mental hospitals based on statement that he or she was hearing voices Pseudo-patients acted in a normal way after that and the hospitals still diagnosed them as severely abnormal Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

MODULE 38: The Major Psychological Disorders What are the major psychological disorders? Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Anxiety Disorders When anxiety occurs without external justification and begins to affect people’s daily functioning 4 major types Phobic disorder Panic disorder Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Phobic Disorders Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Anxiety Disorders Phobic Disorder Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation Social phobia Fear of strangers Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Anxiety Disorders Panic Disorder Generalized Anxiety Disorder Panic attacks Anxiety suddenly rises to a peak and one feels a sense of impending, unavoidable doom Can last from a few seconds to several hours Agoraphobia Fear of being in a situation in which escape is difficult and help unavailable Generalized Anxiety Disorder Long-term, persistent anxiety and uncontrollable worry – “free floating” anxiety Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Anxiety Disorders Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsession Compulsion Persistent unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring Compulsion Irresistible urges to repeatedly carry out some act that seems strange and unreasonable Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Anxiety Disorders The Causes of Anxiety Disorders Genetic factors Overactive autonomic nervous system Environmental factors Learned response to stress Cognitive perspective Inappropriate and inaccurate thoughts and beliefs about circumstances in a person’s world Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Somatoform Disorders Psychological difficulties that take on a physical (somatic) form, but for which there is no medical cause Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Somatoform Disorders Hypochondriasis Conversion Disorder Constant fear of illness and a preoccupation with one’s health Conversion Disorder Actual physical disturbance such as the inability to see or hear or to move an arm or leg Cause is purely psychological Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Dissociative Disorders Characterized by the separation of different facets of a person’s personality that are normally integrated and work together Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Dissociative Disorders Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Formerly multiple personality disorder Characteristics of two or more distinct personalities, identities, or personality fragments Controversial diagnosis Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Dissociative Disorders Dissociative Amnesia Significant, selective memory loss “Forgotten” material is still present in memory but is repressed Dissociative Fugue People with amnesia take sudden, impulsive trips, and sometimes assume a new identity After some time they suddenly remember Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Mood Disorders Disturbances in emotional experience that are strong enough to intrude on everyday living Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Mood Disorders Major Depression Severe form of depression that interferes with concentration, decision making, and sociability Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011 Figure 5 of Module 38

Mood Disorders Mania Bipolar Disorder Extended state of intense, wild elation Bipolar Disorder Formerly known as manic-depressive disorder Periods of alternating mania and depression May occur over a few days or over a period of years Periods of depression are usually longer than manic periods Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Mood Disorders Causes of Mood Disorders Genetic and biochemical roots Psychological causes: Result of feelings of loss or of anger directed at oneself Behavioral theories Stresses of life produce a reduction in positive reinforcers Cognitive factors Response to learned helplessness Faulty cognitions (Aaron Beck) Evolutionary psychology Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Schizophrenia Refers to a class of disorders in which severe distortion of reality occurs Characteristics Decline from previous level of functioning Disturbances of thought and speech Formal thought disorder Delusions Hallucinations and perceptual disorders Emotional disturbances Withdrawal Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Types of Schizophrenia Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011 Figure 7 of Module 38

Types of Schizophrenia Process schizophrenia Symptoms develop slowly and subtly Reactive schizophrenia Symptoms are sudden and conspicuous Type I Schizophrenia Positive symptoms are dominant Type II Schizophrenia Negative symptoms are dominant Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Schizophrenia Solving the Puzzle of Schizophrenia: Biological Causes Genetic factors Structural abnormalities Dopamine hypothesis Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011 Figure 9 of Module 38

Schizophrenia Environmental Perspectives on Schizophrenia Emotional and communication patterns of the families of people with schizophrenia Expressed emotion Cognitive perspective Overattention or underattention to stimuli in the environment Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Multiple Causes of Schizophrenia Predisposition model of schizophrenia Incorporates biological and environmental factors Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Personality Disorders Characterized by a set of inflexible, maladaptive behavior patterns that keep a person from functioning appropriately in society Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Personality Disorders Antisocial Personality Disorder Show no regard for the moral and ethical rules of society or the rights of others Lack guilt or anxiety about their wrongdoing Impulsive and lack the ability to withstand frustration Extremely manipulative May have excellent social skills “Con artists” Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Personality Disorders Borderline Personality Disorder Difficulty developing a secure sense of who they are Tend to rely on relationships with others to define their identity Emotional volatility leads to impulsive and self-destructive behavior Feel empty and alone Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Personality Disorders Narcissistic Personality Disorder Characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance Expect special treatment from others Inability to experience empathy for others Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Childhood Disorders Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Marked by inattention, impulsiveness, low tolerance for frustration, and generally a great deal of inappropriate activity Autism Severe developmental disability that impairs children’s ability to communicate and relate to others Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Other Disorders Psychoactive Substance-Use Disorder Alcohol Use Disorders Eating Disorders Anorexia nervosa Bulimia Binge-eating disorder Sexual Disorders Organic Mental Disorders Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

MODULE 39: Psychological Disorders in Perspective How prevalent are psychological disorders? What indicators signal a need for the help of a mental health practitioner? Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Sample of Prevalence Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011

Deciding When You Need Help Long-term feelings of distress Feelings of inability to cope with a situation Prolonged depression Withdrawal from other people Thoughts of inflicting harm on oneself or suicide A chronic physical problem for which no physical cause can be determined A fear or phobia that prevents you from engaging in everyday activities Feelings that other people are out to get you or are talking about and plotting against you Inability to interact effectively with others, preventing the development of friendships and loving relationships Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2011