Unit 12: Abnormal Behaviors: Vocabulary
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Definition A type of disorder characterized by rigid, controlling behavior and perfectionistic tendencies. Usage Daniel's _______ causes him to make lists of every detail of his day before he leaves his house.
subjective discomfort
Definition The amount of emotional discomfort or pain an individual experiences relative to a situation. Usage Erica experiences a great deal of _______ when it comes to leaving the peacefulness of her home.
etiology
Definition The apparent cause, origin, and development of a particular disease. Usage Clinicians find it necessary to determine the _______ of a disease in order to make an appropriate diagnosis.
situational context
Definition The social and environmental setting surrounding an individual's behavior. Usage The _______ in one's own culture can determine how a particular behavior is labeled.
dissociative fugue
Definition Type of dissociative disorder characterized by the sudden inability to recall memories of one's entire life, along with the sense of personal identity. Usage _______ is derived from the Latin word fugere, which means "flight."
paranoid personality disorder
Definition A type of disorder characterized by bouts of paranoia, including an extreme mistrust and suspicion of others. Usage A person suffering from _______ is often suspicious of other people without reason.
borderline personality disorder
Definition A type of disorder characterized by emotional instability and an insecure self-image. Usage Individuals with _______ tend to have unstable and unhealthy relationships.
narcissistic personality disorder
Definition A type of disorder characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance and superiority. Usage Individuals with _______ often expect others to go along with their desires and are not usually willing to relate to the feelings of others.
antisocial personality disorder
Definition A type of disorder characterized by both impulsive behavior without regard for consequences and a lack of morals or conscience. Usage Individuals with _______ are actually quite social, but they do not adhere to the normal rules and morals of society.
stigma
Definition A branding of shame or disgrace associated with a specific circumstance or individual. Usage The _______ of mental illness can have a negative effect on treatment.
trauma
Definition A chaotic, psychic, or behavioral state that is a result of physical injury or severe mental or emotional stress. Usage The word _______ is a translation of the Greek word meaning "wound" or "damage."
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)
Definition A classification system used by mental health professionals to diagnose psychological disorders. Usage The _______ classifies disorders into five different categories.
delirium
Definition A condition marked by a severe disturbance in an individual's mental abilities, which causes confusion and a decreased awareness of one's environment. Usage _______ is a condition that is common in medical and surgical wards, affecting up to a third of elderly patients in hospitals.
dementia
Definition A condition that initiates a progressive decline in cognitive activity due to the gradual dysfunction and loss of brain cells. Usage Alzheimer's disease is often thought to be the same as _______, when in fact it is one of the most common causes of _______.
panic disorder
Definition A disorder characterized by a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in the absence of real danger. Usage A _______ can be diagnosed if an individual has recurring panic attacks for six months or more.
obsessive-compulsive disorder
Definition A disorder characterized by persistent and unwanted obsessions or compulsions resulting in senseless, time-consuming rituals. Usage Howard Hughes' _______ behavior overtook his life, causing him to become a recluse.
phobic disorder
Definition A disorder marked by a persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation that does not pose a real danger. Usage If an individual's daily life is interrupted by persistent fears, they may have a _______.
generalized anxiety disorder
Definition A disorder marked by chronic, high-level anxiety that interferes with day-to-day activities and relationships. Usage Mark began to think he had _______ due to his constant worrying over mundane daily activities.
anxiety disorder
Definition A disorder marked by feelings of excessive apprehension or fear. Usage Most individuals experience anxiety at some point in their lives, but if these episodes begin to affect daily life, one may have an _______.
bipolar disorder
Definition A mood disorder characterized by one or more manic episodes as well as periods of depression. Usage Robert has been known to make irrational decisions while in a manic episode of his _______.
major depressive disorder
Definition A mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and despair along with a loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities. Usage Daniel is suffering from continuous bouts of depression that interfere with his normal daily activities, so he may be suffering from a _______.
somatoform disorder
Definition A psychological disorder characterized by the presence of physical ailments not fully explained by a general medical condition, substance effect, or another mental disorder. Usage _______ are unlike other psychological disorders in that the symptoms felt by the patient are very real, even though they have no biological origin.
personality disorder
Definition A psychological disorder in which a person often exhibits maladaptive behavior and a persistent, inflexible, and unhealthy pattern of thinking. Usage Individuals who have a _______ may often believe there is nothing wrong with their own behavior and thinking or that everyone else's behavior is wrong.
posttraumatic stress disorder
Definition A type of anxiety disorder characterized by the development of psychological disturbances following exposure to an extremely traumatic event. Usage _______ was first diagnosed in the 1970s after a large number of soldiers were traumatized from their experiences in the Vietnam War.
schizoid personality disorder
Definition A type of disorder characterized by a deficiency in forming close relationships while remaining distant and indifferent towards others. Usage Despite its common name, individuals with _______ function better in society than those with severe schizophrenia.
bulimia nervosa
Definition A type of eating disorder in which an individual practices episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate methods of weight control or purging. Usage Individuals suffering from _______ will most likely not be able to hide their condition from their dentist since tooth decay is a common symptom.
anorexia nervosa
Definition A type of eating disorder in which an individual practices unhealthy dieting or self-starvation in order to achieve excessive weight loss. Usage Michelle's father is worried Michelle may have _______ because she has been losing a lot of weight and does not eat meals with her family.
disorganized schizophrenia
Definition A type of schizophrenic disorder characterized by maladaptive thoughts, speech, and behavior. Usage Someone displaying symptoms of _______ will often have confused speech and have very vivid, frequent hallucinations.
undifferentiated schizophrenia
Definition A type of schizophrenic disorder in which a person demonstrates a variety of schizophrenic symptoms. Usage Individuals diagnosed with _______ will often shift from one pattern of symptoms to another.
paranoid schizophrenia
Definition A type of schizophrenic disorder in which a person experiences hallucinations and delusions. Usage Some people with _______ may believe they are the President of the United States or that they are controlled by aliens.
catatonic schizophrenia
Definition A type of schizophrenic disorder in which the person experiences periods of muscular rigidness or excessive, frantic movements and speech. Usage An individual suffering from _______ will often stand perfectly still in an awkward position for a long period of time.
somatization disorder
Definition A type of somatoform disorder characterized by a pattern of physical complaints that have no apparent physical origin. Usage The symptoms of _______ disorder usually begin before the age of 30 and are more prevalent in women than in men.
hypochondriasis
Definition A type of somatoform disorder involving preoccupation with fear or worry of having or contracting a severe illness. Usage People with _______ tend to be obsessed with their physical health.
psychological disorder
Definition Any pattern of behavior that has a stressful impact on an individual, causing personal harm or harm to others and interfering with daily functioning. Usage Jared was diagnosed with a _______ due to his extreme and persistent abnormal behavior.
panic attacks
Definition Attacks of anxiety that affect the body and mind to an extent that normal daily functioning is disrupted. Usage Daniel suffers from _______ whenever he thinks about being in a room full of people he does not know.
maladaptive behavior
Definition Behavior that causes a disruption in daily functioning. Usage _______ is an important factor when it comes to defining abnormality.
deviant behavior
Definition Behavior that radically differs from or violates societal expectations and norms. Usage _______ is usually labeled as negative behavior, but it can be anything that differs from social norms.
schizophrenic disorders
Definition Class of psychotic disorders characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Usage _______ literally means "split mind," which is why _______ are often mistaken for multiple personality disorders.
eating disorders
Definition Conditions or disorders characterized by abnormal or severe disturbances in one's eating behavior. Usage An individual who suffers from an eating disorder may withdraw from friends and family.
conversion disorder
Definition Disorder in which a person has a significant loss of physical function in a single organ system without medical explanation following a conflict or stressful event. Usage It is believed that _______ symptoms derive as a need to avoid psychological stresses.
organic disorders
Definition Disorders that cause temporary or permanent impairments to brain tissue due to disease, injury, or damage from chemicals. Usage It is possible that _______ can be caused by brain damage due to trauma or disease.
dissociative disorder
Definition Disorders that occur when conscious awareness becomes separated from prior memory, thoughts, feelings, and the sense of identity Usage _______ are primarily diagnosed in the United States, as opposed to other countries.
pessimistic
Definition Having the tendency to stress or expect negative outcomes. Usage An individual suffering from a _______ has the tendency to be pessimistic.
medical model
Definition Model used to diagnose mental disorders as medical diseases that need treatment in order to be cured. Usage Philippe Pinel was one of the first to come up with an explanation of a _______, explaining that mental illness was a sickness of the mind.
biopsychosocial model
Definition Model used to diagnose mental disorders as products of the interaction between biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Usage The _______ was first introduced by George Engel, who challenged the idea that mental illness was strictly caused by biological factors.
mood disorders
Definition Psychological disorders characterized by severe disturbances in an individual's mood. Usage Suicide is a large, heartbreaking problem associated with _______.
hallucinations
Definition Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not likely real. Usage Martin's confusion was due to his inability to distinguish his _______ from what was real.
abnormal behavior
Definition Subjectively defined behavior that deviates from common societal behavior. Usage _______ must meet certain criteria before it is considered to be a psychological disorder.
repression
Definition The act of excluding distressing thoughts or memories that cause anxiety from consciousness. Usage _______ is a defense mechanism an individual uses to protect oneself from stressful or traumatic memories.
dissociative amnesia
Definition Type of dissociative disorder that is characterized by an inability to recall important information, usually traumatic or stressful in nature, that is too extensive to be normal forgetfulness. Usage Dissociative amnesia occurs from psychological damage to the brain as opposed to _______, which is usually caused by physical damage to the brain.
dissociative identity disorder
Definition Type of dissociative disorder that occurs when two or more different identities in one individual take control of personal behavior. Usage One reason dissociative identity disorder is a _______ is that more cases were diagnosed after the publication and production of books and movies on the subject.
delusions
Definition Unusual beliefs not based on fact. Usage _______ are the symptom most associated with schizophrenia despite not being the most prominent.
