1. Psychology in Action (9e)
Chapter 14:
Psychological Disorders

2. Studying Psychological Disorders
Abnormal Behavior: patterns of emotion, thought, & action considered pathological for one or more of four reasons:
statistical infrequency
disability or dysfunction
personal distress
violation of norms

3. Studying Psychological Disorders: Four Criteria for Abnormal Behavior
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4. Culture-General Symptoms: shared symptoms across cultures

5. Culture-Bound Symptoms: unique symptoms that differ across cultures

6. Studying Psychological Disorders (Continued)
Historical perspectives:
In ancient times, people believed demons were the cause of abnormal behavior, & boring holes in the skull (trephining) allowed evil spirits to escape.
In the 1790s, Pinel & others emphasized disease & physical illness, which led to the medical model & later to modern psychiatry.

7. Studying Psychological Disorders (Continued)
Modern psychology includes seven major perspectives on abnormal behavior.

8. Studying Psychological Disorders: Classifying Abnormal Behavior
Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR):
provides detailed symptom descriptions
contains over 200 diagnostic categories grouped into 17 major categories & five dimensions (or axis)

9. Studying Psychological Disorders: Classifying Abnormal Behavior (Cont
Five Axis of DSM-V-TR (guidelines for making decisions about symptoms; attempts to address the ‘whole person’ )
Axis I (principal disorder needing immediate attention)
Axis II (personality disorders contributing to the above disorder)
Axis III (general medical information relevant to above disorder)
Axis IV (psychosocial & environmental problems contributing to disorder)
Axis V (global assessment of level of functioning – how are they coping?)

10. Labelling with the DSM
While the DSM is the accepted manual for diagnosing mental disorders, there are many who argue its limitations
Biggest argument – definitions are too vague
For example: Manic depressive or bipolar Mood Disorders are characterized by dramatic "mood swings" or episodes of Mania or Major Depression.
Is there still an advantage to using the guide?

11. Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorder: overwhelming apprehension & fear accompanied by autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal
Five Major Types:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
Phobias
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Discussed in Chapter 3)

13. Five Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: persistent, uncontrollable, & free-floating anxiety
Panic Disorder: sudden & inexplicable panic attacks

14. Anxiety Disorders (Continued)
3. Phobia: intense, irrational fear & avoidance of a specific object or situation

15. Anxiety Disorders (Continued)
4. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): intrusive, repetitive, fearful thoughts (obsessions), with urges to perform repetitive, ritualistic, behaviors (compulsions), or both
5. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): anxiety disorder following extraordinary stress (discussed in Chapter 3)

16. Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
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Psychological--faulty cognitions, maladaptive learning
Biological--evolution, genetics, brain functioning, biochemistry
Sociocultural—environmental stressors, cultural socialization

17. Anxiety Disorders (Continued)

18. Mood Disorders
Mood Disorders: characterized by extreme disturbances in emotional states
Two Main Types of Mood Disorders:
Major Depressive Disorder: long-lasting depressed mood that interferes with the ability to function, feel pleasure, or maintain interest in life
Bipolar Disorder: repeated episodes of mania & depression

19. Mood Disorders (Continued)
Note how major depressive disorders differ from bipolar disorders on this hypothetical graph.

20. Explanations of Mood Disorders
Biological--brain functioning, neurotransmitter imbalances, genetics, evolution
Psychosocial--environmental stressors, disturbed interpersonal relationships, faulty thinking, poor self-concept, learned helplessness, faulty attributions

21. Mood Disorders (Continued)
Gender & Cultural Diversity:
Culture-general symptoms for depression (e.g., sad affect, lack of energy)
Women more often depressed. Why? Combination of biological, psychological, & social forces (biopsychosocial model)
Biological
Social
Psychological

22. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia: group of psychotic disorders, characterized by a general loss of contact with reality
Five areas of major disturbance:
Perception (hallucinations)
Language (word salad, neologisms)
Thoughts (psychosis, delusions)
Emotion (exaggerated or flat affect)
Behavior [unusual actions (e.g., catalepsy, waxy flexibility)]

23. Subtypes of Schizophrenia

24. Schizophrenia (Continued)
Explanations of Schizophrenia:
Biological: genetic predisposition, disruptions in neurotransmitters, brain abnormalities
Psychosocial: diathesis-stress model, disturbed family communication

25. Genetics & Schizophrenia

26. Disturbed Brain Activity in Schizophrenia
Note the differing amounts of brain activity in the normal, schizophrenia, and depressed brains. (Warmer colors = more activity)

28. Schizophrenia (Continued)
Gender & Cultural Diversity: Numerous culturally general symptoms, but significant differences exist in:
prevalence
form
onset
prognosis

29. Other Disorders
Substance-related disorder (abuse of, or dependence on, a mood- or behavior-altering drug)
Two general groups:
Substance abuse (interferes with social or occupational functioning)
Substance dependence (causes physical reactions, such as tolerance & withdrawal)

30. Other Disorders: Substance-Related Disorder

31. Other Disorders (Continued)
People with substance-related disorders also commonly suffer other psychological disorders, a condition known as comorbidity.

32. Other Disorders (Continued)
Dissociative Disorders: splitting apart (dis-association) of experience from memory or consciousness
Types of Dissociative Disorders:
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative Fugue
Depersonalization Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

33. Other Disorders (Continued)
Best known dissociative disorder:
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): presence of two or more distinct personality systems in the same person at different times (previously known as multiple personality disorder)
Video

34. Other Disorders (Continued)
Personality Disorder: inflexible, maladaptive personality traits causing significant impairment of social & occupational functioning
Two types of personality disorders:
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

35. Other Disorders (Continued)
Antisocial Personality Disorder: profound disregard for, & violation of, the rights of others
Key Traits: egocentrism, lack of conscience, impulsive behavior, & superficial charm

36. Other Disorders (Continued)
Explanations of Antisocial Personality Disorder
Biological: genetic predisposition, abnormal brain functioning
Psychological: abusive parenting, inappropriate modeling

37. Other Disorders (Continued)
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): impulsivity & instability in mood, relationships, & self-image
Explanations of BPD:
Psychological--childhood history of neglect, emotional deprivation, abuse
Biological--genetic inheritance, impaired brain functioning