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225 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What is a psychological disorder? |
Psychological dysfunction within an individual that is associated with distress or impairment in functioning and a response that is not typically or culturally expected |
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What is psychological dysfunction? |
Breakdown in cognitive, emotional or behavioral functioning |
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What is Wakefield's "harmful dysfunction"? |
A psychological disorder is caused by a failure of one or more mechanisms to perform their evolved function and the dysfunction produces harm or distress |
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How can we best approach defining psychological disorders? |
The best we can do is consider how an apparent disease or disorder matches a "typical" profile of the disorder when most/all symptoms that experts agree are part of a disorder are present |
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What is psychopathology? |
Scientific study of psychological disorders |
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What is the presenting problem? |
Original complaint reported by the client to the therapist. Actual treated problem may be modification deriving from this |
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What is the clinical description? |
Unique combination of behaviors, thoughts and feelings that make up a specific disorder |
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What is prevalence? |
Number of people displaying a disorder in the total population at any given time |
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What is incidence? |
Number of new cases of a disorder appearing during a specific time period |
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What is a course? What is the difference between chronic and episodic? |
Pattern of development and change of a disorder over time. Chronic lasts a long time (lifetime) and episodic will likely be cured in a relatively short period |
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What is the difference between an acute and insidious onset? |
A: Disorder begins suddenly I: Develops gradually over time |
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What is etiology? |
Cause or source of a disorder (bio, psych and social dimensions) |
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Describe key points from the biological tradition |
- Hippocrates and Galem were key players - Thought psych disorders could be treated like any other disease - The Humeral Theory of disorders assumed that normal brain functioning related to four bodily fluids and disease resulted from too much/little of these - First example of associating psych disorders with chemical imbalance - Treat by regulating environment - Reinvigorated in 19th century due to nature and cause of syphilis - 1950's showed first effective drugs for psychosis |
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Describe key points from the Psychological tradition |
- 2 causes of maladaptive behavior were social and cultural influences - Moral therapy was an 18th century approach to treatment that involved treating patients as normally as possible - Benjamin Rush was key player - Decline in 19th century but re-immerged in 20th |
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What was the mental hygene movement? |
- Dorothea Dix - Effort to improve core of mentally disordered by informing public of their mistreatment - This led to substantial increase in number of mental patients and therefore inadequate staffing |
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What is psychoanalysis? |
Psychoanalytic assessment and therapy which emphasizes exploration of and insight into unconscious processes and conflicts, pioneered by Freud |
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What is behaviourism? |
Explanation of human behavior including dysfunction, based on principles of learning and adaptation derived from experimental psychology |
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What was Mesmer's contribution to psychoanalysis? |
- Undetectable fluid found in all living organisms called "animal magnetism" that could become blocked - Touched patients with rods and suggested they were cured - Referred to as the father of hypnosis |
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Who discovered the unconscious mind? |
Breuer and Freud |
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What was the Anna O. case? |
- Healthy until she was 21 and after he father's death, had symptoms (blurred vision, hard to speak) - Breuer dealt with one symptom at a time - Dealt with one symptom at a time, and that cured her
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What is the psychoanalytic theory? |
Complex and comprehensive theory originally advanced by Freud that seeks to account for the development and structure of personality, as well as the origin of abnormal behaviour, based primarily on inferred inner entities and forces |
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What is the ID? |
unconscious physical entitiy present at birth representing basic drives; strong sexual and aggressive energies |
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What is the Superego? |
Represents the internalized moral standard of parents and society (conscience) |
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What is the ego? |
Responsible for finding realistic and practical ways to satisfy Id drives |
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What two forces are always in competition? |
Superego and ID |
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What are defense mechanisms? |
Common patterns of behavior, often adaptive coping styles when they occur in moderation, observed in response to particular situations in psychoanalysis. (located in ego) |
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What are the different defense mechanisms? |
Denial Displacement Projection Rationalization Reaction Formation Repression Sublimation
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What are the Psychosexual stages of development? |
The sequence of phases a person passes through during development. Each stage is named for the location on the body where ID gratification is maximal at the time |
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What is neurosis? |
Obsolete psychodynamic term for psychological disorders thought to result from unconscious conflicts and the anxiety they cause |
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What is ego psychology? |
Derived from psychoanalysis, this theory emphasizes the role of the ego in development and attributes psychological disorders to failure of the ego to manage impulses and internal conflicts |
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What are object relations? |
Modern devlopment in psychodynamic theory involving the study of how children incorporate the memories and values of people who are close and important to them |
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What is dream analysis? |
Content of dream, supposedly reflecting the primary process thinking of the ID, is systematically related to the symbolic aspects of unconscious conflicts |
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What is counter tranference? |
Therapist projecting some of their own personal issues/feelings onto patient |
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What is Psychodynamic psychotherapy? |
Contemporary version of psychoanalysis but is briefer and more focused on specific problems |
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What are the 7 tactics for psychodynamic psychotherapy? |
1) Focus on affect/expression of patients' emotions 2) Exploration of patients' attempts to avoid topics or engage in activities that hinder therapy process 3) Identification of pattern in patient's actions, thoughts, etc 4) Emphasis on past experiences 5) Focus on patients' interpersonal experiences 6) Emphasis on therapeutic relationships 7) Exploration of parents wishes, dreams, etc |
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What are some criticisms of psychoanalysis? |
- unscientific - No careful measurement |
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What is self actualizing? |
Process emphasized in humanistic psychology in which people strive to achieve their highest potential against difficult life experiences |
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What is person-centered therapy? |
Client, rather than councilor, primarily directs the course of discussion, seeking self-discovery and self-responsibility |
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What does gestalt theory focus on? |
Positive and creative potentials, awareness of desires and needs, and how they might be blocking themselves from their potential |
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What is the behavioural model? |
Explanation of human behavior, including dysfunction, based on principles of learning and adaptation derived from experimental psychology |
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What is extinction? |
Learning processes in which a response maintained by reinforcement in classical or operant conditioning decreases when that reinforcement or pairing is removed |
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What is introspection? |
Early, non-scientific approach to the study of psychology involving systematic attempts to report thoughts or feelings specific stimuli envoke |
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Explain the experiment done by Mary Jones and the boy afraid of furry objects |
- Peter (2 yrs, 10 mos) was afraid of furry objects - Brought a white rabbit into a room for a short time with him and other children who were unafraid - Eventually started to fear it less and less until he could play with it - Years later, the fear did not return |
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What is systematic desensitization? |
Behavioral therapy technique to diminish excessive fears, involved gradual exposure to the feared stimulus paired with positive coping experience, usually relaxation |
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What is behaviour therapy? |
Array of therapy of methods based on principles of behavioral and cognitive science as well as principles of learning as applied to clinical problems . It considers specific behaviors rather than inferred conflict as legitimate targets for change. If problems aquired through learning, those same problems can be systematically unlearned. CBT is popular therapy. |
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Who is BF Skinner? |
Behind operant conditioning |
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what is reinforcement? |
Consequences for behavior that strengthen it or increase its frequency and reinforcement involves contingent delivery of a desired consequence |
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What is shaping? |
Development of a new response by reinforcing successively more similar versions of that response. Both positive and negative behaviors may be learned in this manor |
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What does it mean to integrate scientific research and clinical practice? |
- Using research to treat/assess patients - Use practice to inform research studies what might be universally true about a particular problem - Finding and integrating new research that's already been done in the field to your practice |
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True or False: You must target and understand things that are contributing to keeping the problem going, not just the cause |
TRUE |
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Describe the supernatural tradition |
- Worldview: Battle of good vs evil - Behavior caused by demonic possession, witchcraft, sorcery - Treatment included exorcism, torture, beatings - Wanted to release person from what was possessing them - Only used today as LAST resort - snake pit example |
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What were some themes of the Humanistic Tradition? |
- People are basically good - Humans strive towards self-actualization and can reach potential if given freedom to grow |
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What is the multidimensional integrative approach? |
Holds that psychological disorders are always the products of multiple interacting causal factors - Biological, psychological, social/interpersonal, developmental |
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Using the example of Jody's blood phobia, list examples of the biological, behavioral, emotional, social, and developmental factors |
- Behavioral: Possible classical conditioning? Bloody movie elicits response - Biological: Vasovagal syncope caused fainting. Lost consciousness due to quick high then low blood pressure and heart rate - Emotional: Fear and anxiety's role affecting physiological response - Social: Did his friend's support help or hurt? - Developmental: Critical periods make us more or less reactive to given situations |
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What are genes? |
Long molecules of DNA at various locations on chromosomes within the cell nucleus |
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What is a genome? |
A complete set of genes |
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What are quantitative genetics? |
Establishes effects of genes in explaining individual differences (heritability) without always telling us what genes make which effects |
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What are molecular genetics? |
Examine actual structure/functioning of genes with advanced technology |
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True or false: Environmental factors can determine whether or not a gene is turned on or expressed |
True |
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What are the two conclusions on the role of genes regarding psychological disorders? |
1) Specific or small groups of genes may ultimately be found to be associated with specific/certain psych disorders 2) Genetic contributions can't be studied in absence of interactions with events in the environment that trigger genetic vulnerability or "turn on" specific genes |
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What was Kandel's view on genetic structure? |
Genetic structure of cells may actually change as a a result of learning if certain genes become active |
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What is the Diathesis-Stress Model? |
Individuals inherit, from multiple genes, tendencies to express traits/behaviors, which may be activated under conditions of stress. Depending on certain genes, you may be more susceptible to different disorders and may react more negatively to certain life events |
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what is vulnerability? |
Susceptibility/tendency to develop a disorder |
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What may happen if you have a small or large vulnerability towards a certain disorder? |
small = greater life stress needed to produce disorder large = smaller life stress needed to produce disorder |
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Explain the Caspi Experiment |
- Looking at depressed people (17% had been depressed in last year) - Looking for a gene that was affecting serotonin - Gene came in 2 versions: Long (L) and short (S) - 2 L could cope with stress better than 2 S - SS was affected double if maltreatment in childhood; LL did not - SS depression common from childhood; LL was not |
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Why might genetic endowment increase probability that an individual will experience stressful life events? |
- Vulnerabilities - Personality traits (impulsitivity) |
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Explain the Cross fostering experiment |
- rat baby raised by different mother - Maternal behavior affects how pup handles stress - Is that from genetic influence or calm mothers? - Took babies with stressed moms and reared them with calm mothers and vice versa - Discovered behavior could be passed down independent of genetics |
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What are epigenetics? |
The study of factors other than inherited DNA sequence, such as new learning or stress, that alter the phenotypic expression of genes |
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What is cognitive science? |
Field of study that examines how humans and other animal acquire, process, store and retrieve information |
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What did Rescorla say about processes of classical conditioning? |
Pairing 2 events closely in time is not what 's important in this type of learning. Variety of different judgments/cognitive processes combine to determine the final outcome of this learning. Cognitive/emotional processing of info is involved when conditioning occurs |
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What is learned helplessness? |
Condition where a person believes they have no control over their lives. For example, if a rat gets shocked and realizes he cannot prevent the shocks, he gives up attempting to cope |
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what is modelling/observational learning? |
Learning through observation/imitation of the behavior of other individuals and the consequences of that behavior |
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What is prepared learning? |
Certain associations can be learned more readily than others because this ability has been adaptive for evolution |
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What is implicit memory? |
condition of memory in which a person can't recall past events even though they act in response to them |
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What is implicit cognition? |
Cognitive processes of the unconscious that are difficult to measure because people an't verbalize them, as they are not even aware of them |
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What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? |
Group of treatment procedures aimed at identifying and modifying faulty thought processes, attitudes and attributions and problem behaviors, often used with cognitive therapy. Have patients monitor thoughts during period of stress and work with patients to uncover automatic thoughts and develop a different set of attitudes and attributions |
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What is the flight-or-fight response? |
A brain circuit that when stimulated causes an immediate alarm and escape response resembling panic |
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What are some purposes of fear? |
- Activates blood flow - produce hot/cold spells - blood goes to more vital organs - body removes focus off systems not needed |
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What is emotion? |
Pattern of action elicited by an external event and a feeling state, accompanied by characteristic physiological response (motivates us to carry out our behavior) |
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What is the difference between mood and affect? |
Mood: Enduring period of emotionality Affect: The momentary emotional tone that accompanies what we say or do |
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What are emotion's 3 components? |
1) emotion and behavior 2) Physiology of emotion 3) Cognitive aspects of emotion |
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How does cultural gender expectations affect rates of disorders? |
- Men aren't supposed to show fear; therefore more women with phobias and panic attacks - Men more likely to self medicate (alcohol) - Men and women respond differently to standardized treatment |
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Why are social relationships beneficial? |
- social isolation increases risk of death - Determines how likely we are to get sick - Gives meaning to life |
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What is interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)? |
Newer brief treatment approach that emphasizes resolution of inter personal problems and stressors such as role disputes in marital conflict, or forming relationships in marriage or a new job |
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Why are multidimensional models better than unidimensional ones? |
View abnormal behavior as multiply determined by emphasizing an integrative system of influences. It also better represents the scientific data |
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What is the Gene-Environment Correlation Model? |
Genes may increase the probability that an individual will experience stressful/traumatic life events. Genes that code for personality characteristics may influence people to create/experience the environmental risk factors that trigger a genetic vulnerability to certain disorders (ex: Impulsitivity) |
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What is a clinical assessment? |
Systematic evaluation and measurement of psych, bio and social factors in an individual presenting with a possible psychological disorder |
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What is a diagnosis? |
the process of determining whether the particular problem afflicting the individual meets all criteria for a psych disorder as set forth in DSM-5 |
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What does the value of assessment depend on? (3 factors) |
reliability, validity and standardization |
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What is the mental status exam? |
Relatively coarse preliminary test of a client's judgment, orientation to time/place and emotional and mental state. |
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What does the mental status exam cover? (5 categories) |
1. Appearance and Behavior 2. Thought processes 3. Mood and Affect 4. Intellectual Functioning 5. Sensorium |
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What is a Behavioural Assessment? |
Measuring, observing and systematically evaluating (rather than inferring) the client's thoughts, feelings and behavior in the actual problem situation or context. Targets behaviors identified with the goal of determining the factors that seem to influence behaviors |
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What is a problem with behavioral assessment? |
Relies on observer's recalection or interpretations |
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What is the ABC Observation? |
Antecedent-behaviour-consequence sequence (before-during-after) |
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What is self-monitoring? |
People observing their own behaviors to find patterns |
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What is the brief psychiatric rating scale? |
- 18 areas of concern, rate them from 0-6 - screens for moderate to severe psychotic disorders |
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What are projective tests? |
Psychoanalytically based measures that present ambiguous stimuli to clients on the assumption that their responses will reveal their unconscious conflicts. Such tests are very inferential and lack high reliability and validity |
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What is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)? |
- 31 cards, 30 pictures and one blank card. Use 20 of them - Ask client to "tell dramatic story about the picture" |
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What are Personality Inventories? |
Self-Report questionnaires that assess personal traits by asking respondents to identify descriptions that apply to them. Example is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Look for pattern of responses, not just an individual response |
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What is an Intelligent Quotient (IQ)? |
Estimating a person's deviation from average test performance. Compare your score with others your age |
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What are the Wechsler Tests? |
Verbal scales and performance scales |
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What is neuropsychological Testing? |
Assessment of brain and nervous system functioning by testing an individual's performance on behavioral tasks |
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What is the Bender Visual-motor Gestalt Test? |
- Child is given cards with various lines and shapes and asked to copy them - Errors on the tests are compared to others the same age; if number of errors exceeds a certain amount, brain dysfunction is suspected |
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What are false positives and false negatives? |
P: Showing a problem when none exist N: Not finding a problem when one is present |
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What is neuroimaging? |
Sophisticated computer-aided procedures that allow non-intrusive examination of nervous system structure and function |
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What is CT Scan? |
- X ray passed through the head - Helpful locating brain tumors and injuries - There is a risk of cell damage with repeated X-radiation |
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What is an MRI? |
- Radio frequency signals "excite" brain tissue, altering protons in hydrogen atoms - Measure times it takes for protons to relax - Light and dark signal where there are lesions |
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What is Positron Emission Tomography (PET)? |
- Inject someone with tracer substance which interacts with blood, oxygen or glucose - Parts of brain become active and B, O or G go to brain, creating "hot spots" - We can learn what brain sports are/aren't working |
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What is a functional MRI (fMRI)? |
- Measure the functioning of the brain - Super fast - Replaced PET largely |
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What is a psychophysiological assessment? |
Measurement changes in the nervous system reflecting psychological or emotional events such as anxiety, stress and sexual arousal |
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What is Electroencephalogram (EEG)? |
Measure of electrical activity patterns in the brain taken through electrodes placed on the scalp |
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What is biofeedback? |
Levels of physiological responding are fed back to patient by meter/gauges so patient can try and regulate these responses |
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What is a classification? |
Any effort to construct groups/categories and to assign objects/people to these categories on the basis of their shared attributes or relations |
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What is a taxonomy? |
Classification of entities for scientific purposes |
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What is Nosology? |
Classification and naming system for medical and psychological phenomena |
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What is nomenclature? |
The names/labels of disorders that make up nosology |
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What is the classical categorical approach? |
Classification method founded on the assumption of clear-cut differences among disorders, each with a different known cause |
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What is the dmensional approach? |
Method of categorizing characteristics on a continuum rather than a binary, either-or or all or none basis |
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What is the prototypical approach? |
System for categorizing disorders using both essential defining characteristics and a range of variation on the other characteristics |
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List a few key features of the DSM-III |
- 1980 - Athetoretical approach to diagnosis - Introduce multiaxial system |
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List a few key features of the DSM-IV |
- 1994 - changes on sound, scientific data - distinction between organically based disorders and psych based disorders eliminated |
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List a few key features of the DSM-5 |
- 2013 - New/reclassification of some disorders - removed multiaxial system |
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What is the criticism of the DSM-5? |
"fuzzy" categories that blur at the edges, making diagnostic decision difficult at times |
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What is comorbidity? |
The presence of 2+ disorders in an individual at the same time |
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What is labelling? |
Applying a name to a phenomenon of a pattern of behavior |
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What are some emotion regulation strategies? |
- Emotional suppression vs. acceptance - Self-distancing vs. self-immersion - Cognitive reappraisal |
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What is a hypothesis? |
Educated guess to be tested by data |
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What is a dependent and independent variable? |
D: The phenomenon that is measured and expected to be influences I: Phenomenon that is manipulated by the experimenter in a research study and expected to influence the dependent variable |
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What is internal and external validity? |
I: The extent to which we can be confident that the independent variable is causing the dependent to change E: The extent to which the results of the study can be generalized/applied outside the study |
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What is testability? |
The ability to test the hypothesis |
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What is a confound? |
Any factor occuring in a research study that makes the results uninterpretable because its effects cannot be separated from those of the variables being studied (variable other than independent might be affecting the dependent) |
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What is a control group? |
Groups of individuals in a research study who are similar to the experimental subjects in every way but aren't exposed to treatment received by the experimental group; allows for a comparison |
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What is randomization? |
the process of assigning people to different research groups in such a way that each person has an equal chance of being placed in any group |
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What are analogue models? |
Approach to research employing subjects who are similar to clinical clients, allowing replecation of a clinic problem under controlled conditions |
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What is clinical significance? |
Whether or not the difference was meaningful for those affected |
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What is effect size? |
Statistical measure that shows the amount of difference among the members of a group in a clinical study |
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What is patient uniformity myth? |
The tendency to see all participants as one homogeneous group |
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What is the case study method? |
research procedure in which a single person/small group is studied in detail. The method does not allow conclusions about the cause and effect relationships, and findings can be generalized only with great caution; scientific method is not used |
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What is a correlation? |
Statistical relationship between 2 variables Ex: Is schizophrenia related to size of ventricles in brain? |
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What is a positive and negative correlation? |
P: Association between two variables in which one increases (or decreases) as the other increases (or decreases) N: Association between two variables in which one increases as the other decreases |
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What is the correlation coefficient? |
Computed statistic reflecting the strength/direction of any association between 2 variables. It can range from +1.00 through zero (no correlation) to -1.00, with the absolute value indicating the strength and sign reflecting the direction. EX: correlation is +0.5 |
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What is epidemiology? |
WhaThe study of the incidence, distribution and consequences of a particular problem or set of problems in a population |
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What is treatment outcome research? |
Studies of the effectiveness of clinical interventions, including the comparison of competing treatments |
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What is the placebo effect? |
Behaviour changes as a result of a person's expectation to change rather than as a result of any manipulation by an experimenter |
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What are placebo control groups? |
In outcome experiment, a control group that does not receive the experimental manipulation but is given a similar procedure with an identical expectation of change, allowing the researcher to assess any placebo effect. they help distinguish results of positive expectations from the results of actual treatment. |
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What is a double-blind control? |
Procedure in outcome studies that prevent bias by ensuring that neither the subject nor the providers of the experiment know who is receiving treatment and who is receiving placebo |
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What is comparative treatment research? |
Outcome research that contrasts 2+ treatment methods to determine which is most effective |
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What are single case experimental designs? |
Research tactic in which an independent variable is manipulated for a single individual, allowing cause-and-effect conclusions but with limited generalizability |
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What is repeated measurement? |
Behavior is measured several times instead of only once before you change the independent variable and once afterward |
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What is level? |
Degree of behavior change with different interventions |
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What is withdrawl design? |
Removing a treatment to note whether it has been effective |
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What is baseline? |
Measured rate of a behavior before intro of an intervention that allows comparison and assessment of the effects of the intervention. Essentially, trying to determine if an independent variable is responsible for changes in behavior |
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What is a multiple baseline? |
Single case experimental design in which measures are taken on 2+, or on a single behavior in two or more situations. A particular intervention is introduced for each at different times. If behavior change is concident with each introduction, this is strong evidence the intervention caused the change |
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What are phenotypes? |
Observable characteristics/behaviors of the individual |
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what are endophenotypes? |
Genetic mechanisms that ultimately contribute to the underlying problems causing the symptoms/difficulties experienced by the people with psych disorders |
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What are twin studies? |
Comparison of twins with unrelated or less closely related individuals. If twins, particularly monozygotic twins who share identical genotypes, share common characteristics such as a disorder even if they are reared in different environments. This is strong evidence of genetic involvement |
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What is genetic linkage analysis? |
Studies that seek to match the inheritance pattern of a disorder to that of a genetic marker. This helps researchers establish the location of the gene responsible for the disorder |
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What is a genetic marker? |
Inherited characteristics for which the chromosome location of the responsible gene is known. If link is discovered between inheritance of disorder and genetic marker the genes are probably close together on the same chromosome |
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What are association studies? |
Compare markers in a large group of people with a particular disorder to people without the disorder. If certain markers occur significantly more often in people with disorder, assumed markers are close to genes involved with disorder |
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What are the 4 broad categories in prevention research? |
1) Positive developmental strategies (skill building) 2) Universal Prevention strategies (target specific risk factors) 3) Selective prevention strategies (target whole groups at risk) 4) Indicated prevention strategies (begin to show problems) |
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What is a cross-sectional design? |
Methodology to examie a characteristic bt comparing different individuals of different ages |
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What are cohorts? |
Participants in each age group |
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What is the cohort effect? |
Observation that people of different age groups also differ in their values and experiences |
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What is retrospective information? |
"view back"; data collected by examining records or recollections in the past |
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What is a longitudal design? |
Systematic study of changes in the same individual/group examined over time |
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What is the cross-generational effect? |
Trying to generalize the findings to groups whose experiences are different from those of study participants |
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What is sequential design? |
Repeated study of different cohorts over time |
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What is informed consent? |
A research participant's formal agreement to cooperate in a study following full disclosure of the nature of the research and the participant's role in it |
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What are some examples of research ethics? |
Informed consent, no pressure, Confidentiality, Quit at any time |
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What are some limitations of Case Studies? |
Lacks scientific rigor and suitable controls, often entails numerous confounds |
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What is anxiety? |
Negative Mood state caused by bodily symptoms of physical tension and apprehension about the future |
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What is fear? |
Immediate alarm reaction to danger |
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What is panic? |
Sudden overwhelming fright or terror |
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What is a panic attack? |
Abrupt experience of intense fear or acute discomfort, accompanied by physical symptoms that usually include heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath or dizziness |
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What are some biological contributions to panic attacks? |
- genetic component - specific brain circuits involved - Limbic system is associated |
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What is the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)? |
Brain circuit in the limbic system that responds to threat signals by inhibiting activity and causing anxiety. Naturally, you have a tendency to freeze and analyze the situation |
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What is the Fight/Flight System (FFS)? |
A brain circuit in animals that, when stimulated, causes an immediate alarm and escape response resembling human panic |
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What are some childhood factors that can contribute to panic attacks/anxiety? |
- "Sense of uncontrollability" learned - Child never allowed to face adversary, won't handle adversity well |
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How does panic initially occur and what can be the fallout from this? |
- Strong fear response due to high stress or a dangerous situation in the environment - Response becomes associated with internal and external cues - Learned false alarm |
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What are the 3 vulnerabilities that contribute to the development of anxiety disorders? |
1) Biological: Heritable contribution 2) Specific psychological: physical sensations are dangerous 3) Generalized psych: Can't cope, events are uncontrollable/unpredictable |
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What is General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? |
An anxiety disorder characterized by intense, uncontrollable, unfocused, chronic and continuous worry that is distressing and unproductive accompanied by physical symptoms of tenseness, irritability and restlessness |
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What are some physical symptoms of GAD? |
Muscle tension, mental agitation, fatigue, irritability, difficulty sleeping. This is a gradual onset more than anxiety disorders |
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Is there a genetic contribution to GAD? |
YES |
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What are the four cognitive characteristics of GAD? |
1) Intolerance of uncertainty 2) Erroneous beliefs about worry 3) Poor problem orientation 4) Cognitive avoidance |
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How can you treat GAD? |
- Drugs: Benzodiazepines (only short term) - Therapy CBT - Hard to treat; need more research |
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What is Panic Disorder (PD)? |
Recurrent panic attacks accompanied by concern about future attacks and/or a life style change to avoid future attacks |
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What is agoraphobia? |
An anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult. Very closely related to PD |
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What is a nocturnal panic attack? |
- Panic attacks while sleeping - Frequent from 1:30 to 3:30 AM - Sink into delta sleep and wake up mid attack |
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What are some causes of PD? |
- Biological and psych factors - Learned alarms - Must be suseptible to developing anxiety over possibility - Psych vulnerability to interpret normal physical sensations in a catastrophic way |
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What are some treatments for panic disorders? |
- Drugs: SSRI, Benzo - Psych interventions - Cognitive therapy - Booster sessions help reduce relapse - Psych treatment is better than drugs |
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What is Panic Control treatment (PCT)? |
Expose patients with panic disorder to cluster of interoceptive sensations that remind them of their panic attacks |
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What is a specific phobia? |
Irrational fear of a specific object or situation that markedly interferes with an individual's ability to function |
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What are the four major subtypes of phobias? |
1) Blood-injury-injection phobia 2) Situational phobias 3) Natural Environment phobias 4) Animal phobia |
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What is Blood-injury-injection phobia? |
Unreasonable fear/avoidance of exposure to blood, injury or possibility of injection. Victims experience fainting and a drop in blood pressure. Runs in families |
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What are situational phobias? |
Fear of public transportation/enclosed places (planes, claustrophobia). Never experience panic attacks outside of contexts so it is easy to relax |
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What is a natural environment phobia? |
Fear of situations/events occuring in nature (storms, etc.) Fears tend to cluster (fear more than 1) |
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what are animal phobias? |
Fear of animals/insects |
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How do you treat phobias? |
- Exposure base exercises under therapeutic supervision - Panic attack treatment - Virtual reality exposure therapy |
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What is Separation Anxiety Disorder? |
Child's unrealistic and persistent worry that something will happen to parents/other important people in life or something will happen to child hilself that will separate him from parents |
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What is Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)? |
Extreme, enduring, irrational fear and avoidance of social or performance situations. It is the most prevalent psych disorder in the USA |
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What are some causes of SAD? |
- May have to do with quickly recognizing angry faces - Greater activation of anygdala - less corticol control |
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What are the 3 pathways to SAD? |
1) Inherit generalized biological vulnerability to develop anxiety/be socially inhibited or both 2) When under stress, person could have anxiety (panic attack) in social situation that would be associated to social cues 3) Might experience real social trauma resulting in true alarm and develop anxiety |
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What are some treatments for SAD? |
- Cognitive Behavior Group therapy - Social mishap exposure - SSRIs, or DCS - Having parents involved is extremely beneficial |
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What is the significance of the Boston Uni Brave Buddies Camp? |
VERY effective way for children with selective mutism to interact; form of therapy |
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What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? |
Enduring, distressing emotional disorder that follows exposure to a severe helplessness- or fear - including threat. The victim re-experiences the trauma, avoids stimuli associated with it and develops a numbing of responsiveness and an increased vigilance and arousal. More than 3 months is chronic, and must be diagnosed at least one month after trauma |
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What is acute stress disorder? |
Severe reaction immediately following a terrifying event, often including amensia about the event and emotional numbing/derealization. Later may develop PTSD |
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True or false: Close exposure to trauma seems to be necessary to develop disorder |
TRUE |
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what are some causes of PTSD? |
- Experience trauma - Some genetic influence (risk of being exposed to certain types of trauma) - Anxiety sensitivity - changes in brain function/structure but the hippocampus damage may be reversible |
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What are some treatments towards PTSD? |
- Psychoanalytic therapy - relive emotional trauma - Imagine exposure therapy - Cognitive therapy/ CBT |
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What are adjustment disorders? |
Anxious/depressive reactions to life stress that are generally milder than one would see in PTSD or ASD |
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what are attachment disorders? |
disturbed/developmentally inappropriate behaviors in children, emerging before 5 years in which child is unable/unwilling to form normal attachment realtionships with caregiving adults |
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What is reactive attachment disorder? |
Child seldom seek caregiver for protection/support/nurturance and seldom respond to caregivers to provide this kind of care |
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What is Disinhibited social engagment disorder? |
Certain child rearing circumstances would result in a pattern of behavior in which the child shows no inhibitions whatsoever to approaching adults |
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What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? |
An anxiety disorder involving unwanted, persistent, intrusive thoughts and impulses as well as repetitive actions intended to suppress them |
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What are obsessions? |
Intrusive and mostly nonsensical thoughts, images or urges that the individual tries to resist/eliminate |
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What are compulsions? |
Thoughts/actions used to suppress the obsessions and provide relief |
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What disorder is common with OCD? |
Tic disorder |
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What are some causes of OCD? |
- Must develop anxiety focused on having those thoughts - Think what they think can actually happen or they can cause things to happen - Believe thoughts are unacceptable and must be suppressed can increase risk |
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What is some treatments for OCD? |
- SSRI effective - CBT - Exposure and ritual prevention - psychosurgery as last resort |
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What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)? |
A somatoform disorder featuring a disruptive preoccupation with some imagined defect in appearance ("Imagined uglyness") |
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why is it uncommon to treat BDD? |
People with BDD are more likely to seek a plastic surgeon or dermatologist than therapist |
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What are some common OCD subtypes? |
- Contamination obsession - Harm obsessions with checking compulsions - Symmetry obsessions with ordering/arranging/counting compulsions - Pure obsessions without visual compulsions |
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What is Hoarding disorder? |
Excessive acquisition of things and difficulty discarding anything (overevaluation of objects). Treatment includes CBT and cognitive reappraisal for objects |
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What is Trichotillomania? |
Urge to pull put one's hair resulting in notcable hair loss. Habit reversal training used for treatment |
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What is Excoriation? |
Repetitive and compulsive skin picking, sometimes leading to tissue damage. Habit reversal training used for treatment |