Abnormal Psychology Chapters 1 & 2

biological explanation for abnormal behavior

genetics, biochemistry, and brain structures

Benjamin Rush

"Father of American psychiatry." He was an advocate of moral therapy, treating patients with kindness and respect; although he believed that mental illnesses were caused by too much blood in the brain and recommended the use of bloodletting, he also recommended more humane treatments

5 criteria for dignosing a psychological disorder

1. Does the behavior involve a measurable degree of impairment and can the diagnosis predict future behavior or responses to treatment? 2. Does the behavior reflects a dysfunction in psychological, biological, or developmental processes? 3. Does the behavior cause distress or disability in important realms of life? 4. The individual's behavior cannot be socially deviant as defined in terms of religion, politics, or sexuality. 5. Conflicts between the individual and society are not counted as psychological disorders unless they reflect a dysfunction within the individual.

deinstitutionalization

1960s and 1970s governmental policy that focused on releasing hospitalized psychiatric patients into the community and closing mental hospitals, transferring the treatment of mental illness from inpatient institutions to community-based facilities that emphasize outpatient care

halfway house

A community treatment program that functions primarily to help make the transition from living in a mental institution to living in a regular community

positive correlation

A correlation where as one variable increases, the other also increases, or as one decreases so does the other (the two factors are going in the same direction). EX: As smoking increases, lung cancer increases

stigma

A mark of shame or disapproval that results in an individual being shunned or rejected by others

prejudice

A negative attitude toward an entire category of people, often an ethnic or racial minority.

double-blind study

A procedure in which neither the researcher nor the participant knows which group received the experimental treatment. Designed to reduce experimenter bias.

Dorothea Dix

A reformer and pioneer in the movement to treat the insane as mentally ill, beginning in the 1820's; began national movement for new methods to humanely treat the mentally ill

survey

A technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.

validity

Ability of a test to measure what it is supposed to measure and to predict what it is supposed to predict

reliability

Ability of a test to yield very similar scores for the same individual over repeated testings

behavioral genetics

An interdisciplinary field that studies the effects of genes and heredity on behavior.

case study

An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.

negative correlation

As 1 variable's level goes up, the other variable's level goes down (the two factors are going in opposite directions). EX: As the temperature goes up, hot chocolate consumption goes down.

DSM-5

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition)

sociocultural explanation for abnormal behavior

Experiences throughout life, family dynamics, and your environment

Healthy People Project, 2010

Goals are to improve psychological functioning and expand treatment services in the US by 2020

Hippocrates

Greek philosopher considered the father of Western medicine; believed that mental illness could be treated the same way as physical ailments

psychological explanation for abnormal behavior

Personality traits, coping ability, and perception

spiritual explanation for abnormal behavior

Regarded psychological disorders as the product of possession by evil or demonic spirits.

humanitarian explanation for abnormal behavior

Regarded psychological disorders as the result of cruelty, stress, or poor living conditions

quasi-experimental design

Research method similar to an experimental design except that it makes use of naturally occurring groups rather than randomly assigning subjects to groups.

Claudius Galen

Roman physician who became the first person to incorporate scientific investigation into the idea of mental illness. Experimented on animals (dissection) to confirm and discover more about the biological underpinnings of abnormality.

single case experimental design

Studies treatment effect on one person or one group by contrasting behavior before during and after applications

dependent variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

independent variable

The variable that is varied or manipulated by the researcher.

milieau therapy

a treatment approach used in an in-patient psychiatric facility in which all facets of the environment are components of the treatment

differential diagnosis

an attempt to determine which one of several diseases can be causing the signs and symptoms that are present. Also known as "ruling out" other disorders

individual psychotherapy

client meets together with a therapist one on one

evidence based practice

clinical decision-making that integrates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient characteristics and preferences

National Comorbidity Survey

drug and alcohol abuse was the most commonly comorbid condition with other psychiatric diagnoses

scientific explanation for abnormal behavior

explanations look for causes that can be tested and measured

modality

form in which the clinician offers psychotherapy

Steps for a Clinician in the Diagnostic Process

gaining a clear description of the client's symptoms; principal diagnosis; differential diagnosis; case formulation; cultural formulation; treatment plan

proper sequence for treating a client's condition

immediate goals, short-term goals, long-term goals

laboratory study

manipulating a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observing changes (if any) in a second variable

community mental health center

out-patient clinic that provides psychological services on a sliding fee scale to serve individuals who live withing a certain geographic location

day treatment program

patients reside in the community and attend structured programming during the day

moral treatment movement

people with mental illness should be treated with humane, sympathetic, and personal care in a hospital or asylum setting.

trephining

practice in which holes were drilled into the skull in an attempt to release evil spirits

exorcism

the act of freeing someone from demonic possession

abnormal psychology

the study of abnormal thoughts, feelings and behaviors that may or may not be part of a larger mental illness.

family therapy

therapy that treats the family as a system. views an individual's unwanted behaviors as influenced by or directed at other family members; attempts to guide family members toward positive relationships and improved communication

group therapy

treating a group of people who have similar problems and who meet regularly with a trained counselor