AQUA Psychology- PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
FINAL EXAM
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ALREADY PAASESD!!
When is the neural explanation more likely to occur and why? - ANSWER ✔
Children
Immune system is still developing in them whereas adults are more resilient.
What have PET scans shown about the neural explanation for OCD? - ANSWER
✔ Low levels of serotonin in OCD patients.
Therefore it is involved with OCD
Also show that there is high activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (Area with higher
level thought processes and conversion of sensory information into thoughts)
Therefore the Orbitofrontal cortex is activation area for reception of impulses and
the stopping of activity when impulses lessen.
For non-sufferers the impulse stops once the behaviour is done. Sufferers can't
however switch it off.
Why is Serotonin important for the neural explanation? - ANSWER ✔ Low levels
of serotonin effect the transmission of mood-relevant information in our neurons-
explains many causes of OCD.
Positive evaluation points for neural explanation of OCD? - ANSWER ✔
Supporting evidence:
Hu- lower levels of serotonin activity in 169 OCD patients than 253 non-sufferers.
Saxena and Rauch- PET scans= association between orbitofrontal cortex and OCD
sufferers.
Negative evaluation points for neural explanation of OCD? - ANSWER ✔
Suggested that infections reducing the immune system functioning don't cause
OCD, but merely triggers the symptoms.
,Don't know if the abnormal amount of serotonin is causing OCD or the effect of
OCD.
Not all sufferers benefit from serotonin enhancing drugs- indicates serotonin
activity is no the sole cause of the disorder
No fully-conclusive evidence as don't know about cause or effect.
What are the biological treatments for OCD? - ANSWER ✔ Drug therapy- Aims
to increase or decrease the levels or activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.
What is the standard medical drug given to OCD sufferers? - ANSWER ✔
Selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors- SSRIs
What are SSRIs? - ANSWER ✔ They prevent the re-absorption and breakdown
of serotonin- so increases the levels in the synapse.This continues the stimulation
to the post synaptic neuron- compensates for whatever is going wrong with the
serotonin system in OCD.
How much of the SSRIs should be taken? - ANSWER ✔ 20mg doses (capsules or
liquid). Usually takes 3 to 4 months of daily usage for impact. Often alongside
with CBT to treat OCD- reduce patients emotional symptoms so they will engage
more effectively with OCD.
What happens if the SSRIs haven't had an impact after 4 months? - ANSWER ✔
Dosage is often increased to 60 mg.
Also combined with other drugs like Anti-depressants. Or the SSRIs are replaced
with A-D's
What are tricylics? - ANSWER ✔ Has the same effect of SSRIs but some patients
respond to them better; but they have more side effects so its kept in reserve for
last resort cases.
What are SNRIs? - ANSWER ✔ Increase levels of serotonin as well as
noradrenalines
Positive evaluation points of biological treatments for OCD? - ANSWER ✔ Clear
evidence to support-
, SSRIs reduce OCD symptoms severity, e.g. Soomro et al compared SSRIs to
placebos and found that all 17 studies showed SSRIs are significantly better than
placebo.
Drugs are cost effective and non-disruptive:
Cheaper than treatments such as CBT= better for health systems like the NHS.
Also, less hard work than psychological treatments as you can just easily take pills.
Negative evaluation points of biological treatments for OCD? - ANSWER ✔ Side
effects- blurred vision and loss of sex drive this lessens support.
Although the side effects are usually temporary
Clomipramine= erection problems, tremors and weight gain.
Psychopathology - ANSWER ✔
What are the definitions of abnormality? - ANSWER ✔ -Statistical Infrequency
-Deviation of social norms
-Failure to Function adequately
-Deviation from ideal mental health
What is statistical infrequency? - ANSWER ✔ Describes behaviour as normal or
not based on the number of times we observe it.
If the persons scores cluster around the average then they are considered 'normal'
for that category.
On either side of the average people are attain the normal distribution therefore
counting as abnormal. .
What are the positives for statistical infrequency? - ANSWER ✔ Objective- A cut
off point is agreed
No value judgements- doesn't view homosexuals as abnormal because they are
wrong just because they are infrequent to heterosexuals.
Appropriate- In many cases it can define abnormality.
FINAL EXAM
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ALREADY PAASESD!!
When is the neural explanation more likely to occur and why? - ANSWER ✔
Children
Immune system is still developing in them whereas adults are more resilient.
What have PET scans shown about the neural explanation for OCD? - ANSWER
✔ Low levels of serotonin in OCD patients.
Therefore it is involved with OCD
Also show that there is high activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (Area with higher
level thought processes and conversion of sensory information into thoughts)
Therefore the Orbitofrontal cortex is activation area for reception of impulses and
the stopping of activity when impulses lessen.
For non-sufferers the impulse stops once the behaviour is done. Sufferers can't
however switch it off.
Why is Serotonin important for the neural explanation? - ANSWER ✔ Low levels
of serotonin effect the transmission of mood-relevant information in our neurons-
explains many causes of OCD.
Positive evaluation points for neural explanation of OCD? - ANSWER ✔
Supporting evidence:
Hu- lower levels of serotonin activity in 169 OCD patients than 253 non-sufferers.
Saxena and Rauch- PET scans= association between orbitofrontal cortex and OCD
sufferers.
Negative evaluation points for neural explanation of OCD? - ANSWER ✔
Suggested that infections reducing the immune system functioning don't cause
OCD, but merely triggers the symptoms.
,Don't know if the abnormal amount of serotonin is causing OCD or the effect of
OCD.
Not all sufferers benefit from serotonin enhancing drugs- indicates serotonin
activity is no the sole cause of the disorder
No fully-conclusive evidence as don't know about cause or effect.
What are the biological treatments for OCD? - ANSWER ✔ Drug therapy- Aims
to increase or decrease the levels or activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.
What is the standard medical drug given to OCD sufferers? - ANSWER ✔
Selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors- SSRIs
What are SSRIs? - ANSWER ✔ They prevent the re-absorption and breakdown
of serotonin- so increases the levels in the synapse.This continues the stimulation
to the post synaptic neuron- compensates for whatever is going wrong with the
serotonin system in OCD.
How much of the SSRIs should be taken? - ANSWER ✔ 20mg doses (capsules or
liquid). Usually takes 3 to 4 months of daily usage for impact. Often alongside
with CBT to treat OCD- reduce patients emotional symptoms so they will engage
more effectively with OCD.
What happens if the SSRIs haven't had an impact after 4 months? - ANSWER ✔
Dosage is often increased to 60 mg.
Also combined with other drugs like Anti-depressants. Or the SSRIs are replaced
with A-D's
What are tricylics? - ANSWER ✔ Has the same effect of SSRIs but some patients
respond to them better; but they have more side effects so its kept in reserve for
last resort cases.
What are SNRIs? - ANSWER ✔ Increase levels of serotonin as well as
noradrenalines
Positive evaluation points of biological treatments for OCD? - ANSWER ✔ Clear
evidence to support-
, SSRIs reduce OCD symptoms severity, e.g. Soomro et al compared SSRIs to
placebos and found that all 17 studies showed SSRIs are significantly better than
placebo.
Drugs are cost effective and non-disruptive:
Cheaper than treatments such as CBT= better for health systems like the NHS.
Also, less hard work than psychological treatments as you can just easily take pills.
Negative evaluation points of biological treatments for OCD? - ANSWER ✔ Side
effects- blurred vision and loss of sex drive this lessens support.
Although the side effects are usually temporary
Clomipramine= erection problems, tremors and weight gain.
Psychopathology - ANSWER ✔
What are the definitions of abnormality? - ANSWER ✔ -Statistical Infrequency
-Deviation of social norms
-Failure to Function adequately
-Deviation from ideal mental health
What is statistical infrequency? - ANSWER ✔ Describes behaviour as normal or
not based on the number of times we observe it.
If the persons scores cluster around the average then they are considered 'normal'
for that category.
On either side of the average people are attain the normal distribution therefore
counting as abnormal. .
What are the positives for statistical infrequency? - ANSWER ✔ Objective- A cut
off point is agreed
No value judgements- doesn't view homosexuals as abnormal because they are
wrong just because they are infrequent to heterosexuals.
Appropriate- In many cases it can define abnormality.
