What constitutes psychopathology from the perspectives of deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger?
- Deviance: Behavior that differs from societal norms
- Distress: Emotional pain or suffering
- Dysfunction: Interference with daily functioning
- Danger: Risk to self or others
Norms are stated/unstated rules for proper conduct, shaped by culture.
Define cultural humility.
Ongoing self-reflection by clinicians about their biases and understanding client cultural context
It is essential to avoid mislabeling behaviors based on cultural standards.
Differentiate between clinical scientists and clinical practitioners.
- Clinical scientists: Conduct research, describe, predict, and explain psychopathology
- Clinical practitioners: Detect, assess, and treat disorders, apply scientific findings
Clinical scientists focus on research while practitioners focus on application.
What is cultural relativism?
Judging behavior relative to cultural norms
It emphasizes understanding behaviors within their cultural context.
Who is Thomas Szasz and what is his position on mental illness?
Argued that mental illness is a ‘myth’; believed disorders are ‘problems in living’, not diseases
He emphasized the role of societal labeling.
What is the difference between prevalence and incidence?
- Prevalence: Total number of cases in a population at a given time
- Incidence: Number of new cases during a specific time period
These terms are crucial for understanding the scope of psychological disorders.
What findings were reported by the National Comorbidity Survey?
- Lifetime prevalence of a psych disorder: 57%
- 50% occur before age 14
- 75% occur before age 25
- Median delay of treatment: 10 years
- 20% receive treatment from a mental health specialist
This survey assesses the prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in the U.S.
What is a case study?
In-depth study of one person
Strengths: detailed, generates hypotheses; Weaknesses: low generalizability, no causation.
What does the correlational method measure?
Relationship between variables
Positive correlation: both increase; Negative correlation: one increases, the other decreases; Null correlation: no relationship.
Define internal validity and external validity.
- Internal validity: Study shows true cause-effect
- External validity: Generalizability to real world
These concepts are essential for evaluating the quality of research studies.
What is clinical significance?
Improvement that is meaningful in real life, not just statistically significant
It emphasizes the practical impact of treatment outcomes.
Describe the biopsychosocial model of psychological disorders.
Biological, psychological, social factors; no single cause
This model integrates multiple perspectives to understand mental health.
What are glia and their role?
Support cells in the brain
They play a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and supporting neurons.
What is the purpose of drug therapy in the biological model?
- Antidepressants
- Antianxiety
- Antipsychotics
- Mood stabilizers
Drug therapy is the most common biological treatment for psychological disorders.
What does the behavioral model suggest about mental health?
Mental health is the result of learned behaviors that have become maladaptive
It includes principles of classical and operant conditioning.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?
Therapy that focuses on changing thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
Its goals include identifying and modifying maladaptive thought patterns.
Define nomothetic and idiographic information in clinical assessment.
- Nomothetic: Focuses on groups, broad information
- Idiographic: Focuses on the individual, tailored treatment
Both types of information are essential for effective assessment and treatment.
What is the DSM and its significance?
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; published by the APA
It provides standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
What are the strengths and criticisms of the DSM-5?
- Strengths: Increasingly atheoretical, improved inter-rater reliability, focus on research
- Criticisms: Superficial symptom descriptions, questionable validity of some disorders
The DSM-5 has undergone significant changes from previous versions.
What is evidence-based treatment?
Treatment supported by scientific research
It emphasizes the importance of using validated methods in therapy.
