PSYCH Final Exam
What is a psychological disorder?
o Psychological dysfunction
o Personal distress/impairment
o Atypical
SSRI’s: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, affect brain messengers
Historical Figure in Psychology
Rosenhaun
o Conducted study where doctors pretended to have symptoms of
schizophrenia so they’d be admitted to the hospital.
o Once admitted, acted like all psychotic symptoms were gone and
they were still treated as if they had them.
o Contributed to the field because it showed a need for more
integrative and therapy like assessments
o The study changed the way those in the field diagnosed
disorders
Psychological Assessments
Mental Status Exam
o Focuses on mental status of patient
o Key question on patient’s mental health history/what bothers
them
o Where they believe they’re mentally, more of an introspective
approach
o Focus on how they perceive situations
Behavioral Assessment
o Overall assessment on daily behavior
o Key question of how they handle emotional situations
o What types of behavior (manic, depressive)
o What triggers the specific behavior to become present
Objective Tests
o Tests that are testing for a specific thing
o Example of these: IQ tests, personality test
o Tests that supply results
o Focuses on personal answers
o Gives the test taker more of an ‘outside view’ of their self
o Has answers to choose from, not your interpretive answers
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety: marked by negative affect and bodily tensions where people
ANTICIPATE danger/misfortune
, Fear: immediate emotion rxn to CURRENT danger
Epidemiology
o One of most common disorders
o Gender
Women > men
o Comorbidity
Most have 2+ anxiety disorders
50% major depression
Common themes
o Phobic objects
Treatment
o Exposure therapy
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
o Intense, uncontrollable, chronic & continuous worry, distressing
and unproductive with physical symptoms
o Gender
2/3 people w/ GAD are female
o Earlier and gradual onset
o Prevalent among older adults
o Causes
Genetics
Muscle tension
High sensitivity to threat
o Treatment
CBT: confront unpleasant feelings as a whole
ACT: accept unpleasant emotions
Meds: Benzos, Antidepressants (SSRI’S)
Combined tx: meds & therapy (long-term)
Panic Disorder & Agoraphobia
o Panic attack: overwhelming fear over period of discomfort
o Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks w/ future ones
o Agoraphobia: anxiety of being in places/situations w/ out easy
escape
o Panic disorder & agoraphobia = avoidance of internal sensations
o Statistics
Panic disorder
2.7% population meet criteria
Onset: midteens – 40 yo
Panic attacks around puberty
, Agoraphobia
Women > men
Cultural, less accepted for men to share feelings
o Nocturnal panics
Change in stages of sleep to slow wave sleep, produces
sensations of ‘letting go’
o Causes
Panic disorder
Biological and physiological
Some more sensitive to stress
Stimulus can cause attacks
Agoraphobia
Social and culture
o Treatment
Psychoeducation: panic isn’t dangerous
Exposure therapy
Medication: GABA
Trauma Disorders
Specific Phobias (SAD)
o Types
Blood-injection-injury
Natural environment
Situational
Animal
o Epidemiology
12% lifetime prevalence
Roughly equal gender ratio
Onset in adolescence
Can be chronic
o Comorbidity
Depression & substance use
o Treatment
CBT (highly effective)
Meds: antidepressants, beta-blockers
PTSD
o Enduring, distressing emotional disorder that follows exposure
from a traumatic event. Re-experiencing avoidance, negative
mood changes
Linked to acute stress disorder
What is a psychological disorder?
o Psychological dysfunction
o Personal distress/impairment
o Atypical
SSRI’s: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, affect brain messengers
Historical Figure in Psychology
Rosenhaun
o Conducted study where doctors pretended to have symptoms of
schizophrenia so they’d be admitted to the hospital.
o Once admitted, acted like all psychotic symptoms were gone and
they were still treated as if they had them.
o Contributed to the field because it showed a need for more
integrative and therapy like assessments
o The study changed the way those in the field diagnosed
disorders
Psychological Assessments
Mental Status Exam
o Focuses on mental status of patient
o Key question on patient’s mental health history/what bothers
them
o Where they believe they’re mentally, more of an introspective
approach
o Focus on how they perceive situations
Behavioral Assessment
o Overall assessment on daily behavior
o Key question of how they handle emotional situations
o What types of behavior (manic, depressive)
o What triggers the specific behavior to become present
Objective Tests
o Tests that are testing for a specific thing
o Example of these: IQ tests, personality test
o Tests that supply results
o Focuses on personal answers
o Gives the test taker more of an ‘outside view’ of their self
o Has answers to choose from, not your interpretive answers
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety: marked by negative affect and bodily tensions where people
ANTICIPATE danger/misfortune
, Fear: immediate emotion rxn to CURRENT danger
Epidemiology
o One of most common disorders
o Gender
Women > men
o Comorbidity
Most have 2+ anxiety disorders
50% major depression
Common themes
o Phobic objects
Treatment
o Exposure therapy
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
o Intense, uncontrollable, chronic & continuous worry, distressing
and unproductive with physical symptoms
o Gender
2/3 people w/ GAD are female
o Earlier and gradual onset
o Prevalent among older adults
o Causes
Genetics
Muscle tension
High sensitivity to threat
o Treatment
CBT: confront unpleasant feelings as a whole
ACT: accept unpleasant emotions
Meds: Benzos, Antidepressants (SSRI’S)
Combined tx: meds & therapy (long-term)
Panic Disorder & Agoraphobia
o Panic attack: overwhelming fear over period of discomfort
o Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks w/ future ones
o Agoraphobia: anxiety of being in places/situations w/ out easy
escape
o Panic disorder & agoraphobia = avoidance of internal sensations
o Statistics
Panic disorder
2.7% population meet criteria
Onset: midteens – 40 yo
Panic attacks around puberty
, Agoraphobia
Women > men
Cultural, less accepted for men to share feelings
o Nocturnal panics
Change in stages of sleep to slow wave sleep, produces
sensations of ‘letting go’
o Causes
Panic disorder
Biological and physiological
Some more sensitive to stress
Stimulus can cause attacks
Agoraphobia
Social and culture
o Treatment
Psychoeducation: panic isn’t dangerous
Exposure therapy
Medication: GABA
Trauma Disorders
Specific Phobias (SAD)
o Types
Blood-injection-injury
Natural environment
Situational
Animal
o Epidemiology
12% lifetime prevalence
Roughly equal gender ratio
Onset in adolescence
Can be chronic
o Comorbidity
Depression & substance use
o Treatment
CBT (highly effective)
Meds: antidepressants, beta-blockers
PTSD
o Enduring, distressing emotional disorder that follows exposure
from a traumatic event. Re-experiencing avoidance, negative
mood changes
Linked to acute stress disorder
