Abnormal Psych Exam 1

Ultimately difficult to define. Instead, psychologists settled on defining abnormal and use several different criteria.

(Different) Highly unusual, statistically, from the accepted norm.

(Deviant) Behavior that differs markedly from socially accepted standards of conduct.

(Dysfunction) Interfering with functioning. Impairment of the person's ability to cope in various situations, danger to self and/or others.

(Distress) Person doesn't like the behavior and feels he or she has inadequate coping ability.

What client claims to be wrong.

What is really wrong or causing the presenting problem.

How frequently something occurs.

Number of new cases within specific time period.

Acute: Time limited, cure.
Chronic: Lifetime

How quickly something starts.
Acute: Quickly
Insidious: Slowly

Determine the cause.

DSM

Guess of the outcome.

Mind and Body (Philosophy and Biology)

Hole put in head to release demons.

Mind is polluted. Sexual thoughts

Spit, urine, bowels, blood

Magnets clamped on person. Lunacy - Moon and the magnetic fields.

Depression of the mind. Psychologist, talk therapy.

Starting Inside (Chemical Imbalance). Psychiatrist, biomedical/drugs.

Affect=Emotions
Behavior=Actions
Cognition=Thoughts

Humanism
Carl Rogers
Emphasis on Feelings
Premises-subjective experience is most important
Concepts-self-actualization, congruence
Self-actualization-reaching full potential, realizing capabilities
Congruence-amount of overlap between real self and ideal self
Best for people with no diagnosis

Behaviorism
B.F. Skinner, John Watson
Emphasis on actions
Premises-we seek pleasure and avoid pain
Concepts-conditioning
Best for changing behaviors

Cognitive Therapy
Albert Ellis
Emphasis on thought process
Premises-our thoughts become our reality
Concepts-rational emotive
Best for thinkers

Sigmund Freud
Emphasis on childhood
Premises-we are the sum total of our experiences
Concepts-defense mechanisms, components of personality
Defense mechanisms-way of not changing (denial)
Components of personality-ID/Superego/Ego
Best for people with childhood issues

Integrates components of all the different therapies
Very useful when properly applied
Problematic if theories have conflicting premises or competing approaches

Diathesis-inborn predisposition
Stress-experience of stress from environment variables

Better recognition of mental illness
Less stigma
Massive migration/New environmental variables
Outliving the design specifications of the human body
Assignment to groups/False positive vs False negative
False negative always more catastrophic

Does the test measure what it is designed to?

Is the test consistent over time?

Is the test administered in exactly the same way every time?

Always Necessary
See how the client answers questions
Used to build rapport
Not always valid
Not always reliable
Not always standardized

Recommended
Rule out any physical problems: Brain tumor, diabetes, chemical imbalance.
Not often followed

Looks at ABC's
Antecedent (Before)
Behavior
Consequence

Objective vs Projective
Objective=quantifiable, pencil and paper, compared to standard group. WAIS, MMPI are examples.
Projective=qualitive, based on the idea that you would be getting info that the person is projecting onto something, typically analyzed by someone (an expert in analysis), The Rorschach Ink Blot Test, DAP test.

Looks at brain functioning
Can be effective, limited by technology and money
Can be very reliable, valid, standardized

From the mind to a physiological effect
Lie detectors
Eye movement
Visual creation: Up right
Visual memory: Up left
Auditory creation: straight right
Auditory memory: straight left
Self-talk: Down right
Tactile Memory: Down left

Classification
Taxonomy: psychological classification
Nosology: medical classification
Social and Cultural Considerations

Attributing disorders to one's self.