abnormal psych CHAPTER 5

adjustment disorder

. A(n) __________ is diagnosed when a person's response to a common stressor is maladaptive and occurs within 3 months of the stressor.

acute stress disorder

A disorder that is a reaction to a traumatic event, and that occurs within 4 weeks after a traumatic event, and lasts for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 4 weeks is called __________.

stress-inoculation training

A preventive strategy that prepares people to tolerate an anticipated threat by changing the things that they say to themselves before or during a stressful event is referred to as __________

Sandra's symptoms are indicative of post traumatic stress disorder. However, since she has only been experiencing them for 3 weeks her current diagnosis will be acute stress disorder. Acute stress disorder occurs within 4 weeks of the traumatic event and lasts for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 4 weeks. If her symptoms last longer than a month then she will be diagnosed with PTSD

Sandra was raped 3 weeks ago. In that time, she has been having trouble sleeping, and when she does finally fall asleep she has recurring nightmares in which she relives the experience of the rape. She also now has an exaggerated startle response. On a daily basis she experiences generalized feelings of fear and apprehension.

True: In contrast, risk factors for experiencing traumatic events include certain occupations (e.g., soldier or firefighter), being male, having less than a college education, having had conduct problems in childhood, having a family history of psychiatric disorder, and scoring high on measures of extraversion and neuroticism.

T/F:Being female, having low levels of social support, and having preexisting anxiety or depression problems increase an individual's risk of developing PTSD if exposed to a traumatic event.

True: Anti-inflammatory cytokines, on the other hand, decrease or dampen the immune response

T/F:Pro-inflammatory cytokines help us to deal with challenges to our immune system by augmenting the immune response.

False: This is the definition of stress-inoculation training. Stress-inoculation training provides information about the stressful situation and how to deal with it, promotes effective adaptation through the rehearsal of self-statements, and helps the person apply coping skills to traumatic situations. Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of the interaction between the nervous system and the immune system.

T/F:Psychoneuroimmunology is a three stage process that prepares people to tolerate an anticipated threat by changing the things they say to themselves before the crisis.

False: False. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system (not the hypothalamic-pituitary-amygdala system) stimulates the SNS, which then causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and noradrenaline. These increase heart rate and speed up the metabolism of glucose. The HPA also stimulates the hypothalamus, which releases a hormone called "corticotropin-releasing hormone." This hormone then stimulates the pituitary gland which secretes adrenocoticotrophic hormone, which, in turn, causes the adrenal cortex to produce the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol prepares the body for fight or flight and inhibits the immune response.

T/F:The hypothalamic-pituitary-amygdala (HPA) system is designed to mobilize resources and prepare for a fight-or-flight response.

positive psychology

focuses on human straits and resources that are potentially important for health and well-being

allostatic load

the biological cost of adapting to stress

stressors

the external demands placed on a person

cardiovascular disease

the leading cause of death in the U.S.

cortisol

the stress hormone that humans produce

exposure therapy

Computer simulations of trauma-related cues, such as vibrations of the ground, the smell of smoke, and the sound of AK-47 fire, are a type of __________ used with members of the military who have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Anti-depressants

Although there is still some doubt about which medications are effective in the treatment of PTSD, __________ are sometimes helpful in alleviating PTSD symptoms of depression, intrusion, and avoidance.

Adjustment Disorder

Jared has worked at the same company for ten years. In his time there, he has made a steady living that has proven to be more than enough to support him and his family. Due to the economy, however, his company has suffered financially and was forced to lay off a large number of their staff, Jared included. If Jared develops mild psychological symptoms in response to the stress of being unemployed, and has more difficulty coping with this stressor than is normally expected, what diagnosis might be appropriate?

John is experiencing delayed post-traumatic stress disorder. Many soldiers who suffer from PTSD may have long-term damage to their adaptive capabilities, which could result in exaggerated stress reactions to minor stresses that they would have previously handled well. This would explain why John is experiencing such an extensive stress reaction to the minor issue of having conflict with his boss

Several years ago, John returned from serving in the army in Iraq where he had been involved in severe combat. Recently, he has been having minor problems with his boss at work and his reaction is alarming. He has started experiencing nightmares and flashbacks to his experiences in Iraq. Furthermore, he has been feeling strong feelings of guilt and anxiety and he persistently avoids situations that even remotely remind him of his experiences in the war. What disorder is John experiencing? Explain.

1 month

Symptoms of PTSD must last more than __________ and must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in functioning.

False: Medications can provide relief for intense PTSD symptoms. For instance, antidepressants can be useful in alleviating symptoms of depression, intrusion, and avoidance. Antipsychotics are also sometimes used. There is still doubt about the extent to which medication can effectively treat the symptoms of PTSD.

T/F: . Since the symptoms of PTSD are relatively stable, medications cannot be used to relieve the debilitating effects of the trauma.

False: A behavioral medicine approach to physical illness is concerned with psychological factors that may predispose an individual to medical problems. These factors may include stressful life events, certain personality traits, particular coping styles, and lack of social support.

T/F: A behavioral medicine approach to physical illness is concerned with genetic factors that make people more vulnerable to medical problems.

False: This would be true of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute stress disorder. Adjustment disorder is a psychological response to a common stressor that results in clinically significant behavioral or emotional symptoms.

T/F: Adjustment disorder involves exposure to a traumatic stressor that is accompanied by fear, horror, or helplessness.

True

T/F: Individuals who have maladaptive coping skills are more likely to develop long-term problems when placed under stress.

False: This is the definition of antigens. Leukocytes are white blood cells, the front line of defense in the immune system. There are two important types of leukocytes: B-cells (matures in the bone marrow and produces specific antibodies that are designed to respond to specific antigens) and T-cells (matures in the thymus and can destroy antigens when activated by macrophages).

T/F: Leukocytes are foreign bodies such as viruses and bacteria.

True

T/F: Marital distress, unemployment, or loss of a loved one are common stressors that can result in adjustment disorder.

True: People with good cognitive ability or high IQ may be better able to create meaning from their traumatic personal experiences and translate them into a personal narrative that is adaptive and emotionally protective, which may decrease their risk for developing PTSD after experiencing trauma.

T/F: People with higher IQ may have a decreased risk for developing PTSD after experiencing trauma

True: Providing access to these amenities has been shown to be effective at boosting morale, which is effective at reducing psychological casualties.

T/F: Recently, the military has attempted to provide "safe" zones with air conditioning, mail delivery, good food, and internet access in order to give troops breaks from long engagements and boost morale.

True

T/F: Stressful experiences may create a self-perpetuating cycle by changing how we think about, or appraise, the things that happen to us. For example, studies have shown that stressful situations may be related to or intensified by a person's cognitions.

False: The biological cost of adapting to stress is called the allostatic load. Stress tolerance is a person's ability to withstand stress without becoming seriously impaired.

T/F: The biological cost of adapting to stress is called stress tolerance.

True

T/F: The key factors that determine whether one stressor is more serious than another are the severity of the stressor, its duration, when it happens, how closely it affects our own lives, how expected it is, and how controllable it is.

False: Rates of PTSD are LOWER in populations with fewer natural disasters and lower crime rates.

T/F: The rates of post-traumatic stress disorder are higher in populations with fewer natural disasters and less crime.

True: Although the mechanisms for this relationship are unclear, it is evident that stress and trauma play a key role in both physical and psychological well-being.

T/F: Traumatic events can cause issues for mental and physical health, and a history of trauma has been shown to predict mortality.

False: Traumatic that result from human intent (child abuse, rape, assault) are more likely to cause PTSD. Traumatic events caused by humans are possibly more difficult to come to terms with because they destroy a sense of safety that we often assume comes from being a member of a lawful social group.

T/F: Traumatic events that are accidental, such as a natural disaster, are more likely to cause PTSD than traumatic events that result from human intent, such as rape or abuse

True

T/F: When PTSD was first added to the DSM, it was viewed as a normal response to an abnormal stressor. Research has now made it clear that preexisting vulnerabilities also are important factors.

hippocampus

This area of the brain, associated with memory, is notably smaller in veterans with PTSD compared to veterans without the disorder.

adjustment disorder

This disorder is a response to a common stressor, and results in clinically significant behavioral or emotional symptoms. Symptoms must begin within three months of the stressor and are more distressing than would be normally expected

acute stress disorder

This disorder is a stress response to a traumatic event. The stress response must last for at least 2 days, but less than one month.

post-traumatic stress disorder

This disorder was originally considered a normal stress response to an abnormally severe stressor. It is characterized by recurrent and intrusive memories and nightmares of the trauma, as well as an avoidance of stimuli related to the trauma. Symptoms must last for at least a month

unemployment

This stressor is a particularly big problem for minorities and can, if prolonged, increase the risk of suicide. It is also a potential cause of adjustment disorder.

It is important to note that there are two kinds of risked involved in PTSD: the risk for experiencing trauma and the risk for developing PTSD given that there has been exposure to trauma. Not everyone is at equal risk when it comes to the likelihood that she or he will experience a traumatic event. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of being exposed to trauma are being male, having less than a college education, having had conduct problems in childhood, having a family history of psychiatric disorder, and scoring high on measures of extraversion and neuroticism. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing PTSD, given that the person has been exposed to a traumatic event, are being female, having lower levels of social support, having preexisting problems with depression and anxiety, as well as having a family history of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse

What are some individual risk factors for developing post traumatic stress disorder?

rape

Women are more likely to experience this traumatic stressor, which is one possible explanation as to why PTSD is more prevalent in women.

Debriefing Sessions

__________ are usually conducted with small groups of trauma victims shortly after the incident for the purpose of helping them to deal with the residual emotion of the even

prolonged exposure

__________ is a behaviorally-oriented treatment strategy in which the patient is asked to vividly recount the traumatic event over and over until there is a decrease in his or her emotional responses.

crisis intervention

__________ is a type of short-term therapy provided to an individual or group in times of severe stress.

stress tolerance

a person's ability to withstand stress without becoming seriously impaired.

Type A

a personality that is characterized by excessive competitive drive, extreme commitment to work, impatience or time urgency, and hostility.

Type D personality

a personality that is characterized by negative emotions, such as insecurity and anxiety

Adjustment Disorder

a psychological response to a common stressor that results in clinically significant behavioral or emotional symptoms. For the diagnosis to be given, symptoms must begin within 3 months of the onset of the stressor and the person must experience more distress than would be expected given the circumstances, or be unable to function as usual. Jared is at risk for developing adjustment disorder because work-related problems can produce great stress, especially losing one's job

Hypertension

persistent systolic blood pressure of 140 or more and a diastolic blood pressure of 90 or higher