what is a psychological disorder
a significant disturbance in thoughts, emotions, or behaviors
what criteria is used to determine if behavior is disordered or merely unusual
deviance, distress, dysfunction, and sometimes danger
what is the medical model of psychological disorders
psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed and treated, often medically
what is the biopsychosocial approach to understanding psychological disorders
disorders result from interactions among biological, psychological, and social factors
what is the DSM and its purpose
classifies and defines disorders to improve diagnosis and research
what are the main anxiety disorders
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), somatic symptom disorder
what is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
worry is constant, uncontrollable, and not tied to any specific threat
people with GAD worry about many everyday things and feel on edge even when nothing is wrong
what is panic disorder
marked by repeated, unexpected panic attacks along with fear of more which leads to avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult
what are phobias
anxiety focused on a specific object/situation that is out of proportion to the actual danger
people go out of their way to avoid the phobia trigger
what is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
cycle of obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety) which temporarily reduce distress, reinforcing the cycle
what is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event
the brain continues to respond as if danger is present, leading to persistent fear, hyper-vigilance, and unwanted memories of the event
what is somatic symptom disorder
excessively focused on physical symptoms in a way that causes major distress or disrupts daily life regardless of whether the symptoms have a medical cause
the anxiety is centered around the symptoms themselves
what is the fear conditioning explanation for phobias
we are biologically prepared to fear dangers that threatened ancestors (snakes, heights)
what are the symptoms of major depression
sadness, hopelessness, anhedonia, low energy, sleep/appetite changes, difficulty concentrating, suicidal thoughts
what are the symptoms of bipolar disorder
alternating depression and mania (elevated mood, high energy, risk-taking)
what are the gender differences in depression
women are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed
may reflect rumination, stress exposure, and socialization
how heritable is depression
moderately heritable (about 35-40%)
what does research on characteristics of depression reveal
episodes often self-terminate, stressful events often trigger first episodes, vulnerability decreases with age
what are the different attributions made by depressed individuals
global: “everything in my life is bad”
stable: “this will never change”
internal: “it’s all my fault”
what is the viscous cycle that depressed people fall into
negative mood –> negative thinking –> withdrawal –> fewer rewards –> deeper depression
what is schizophrenia
a severe, chronic mental disorder characterized by disruptions in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior with struggles to distinguish reality from internal experiences
what are the most typical positive symptoms of schizophrenia
delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, inappropriate emotions
what are delusions in schizophrenia
false, firmly held beliefs that are not based in reality
what are hallucinations in schizophrenia
sensory experiences that occur without external stimulation
