PSY 657 EXAMS SCRIPT UPDATED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Hypomanic Episode Diagnosis - ✔✔milder forms of mania. Lasts at least 4 days and
3 other symptoms needed but less impairment in social and occupational functioning
and hospitalization not required.
✔✔Major Depressive Disorder - ✔✔Most common. Second most prevalent mental
illness (anxiety #1).
✔✔Unipolar (depression) - ✔✔inversely related to socioecon status. (Higher rates in
lower econ groups)
✔✔Relapse - ✔✔return of symptoms w/in fairly short time (when pharmocaotherapy is
terminated prematurely, when symptoms have remitted but before underlying episode
really over)
✔✔recurrence - ✔✔onset of a new episode; occurs in 40-50% of people. probability
increases with each prior episode and when comorbidity exists. Usually not symptom
free between episodes.
✔✔Specifiers (determine treatment) - ✔✔melancholic, psychotic, atypical (mood
reactivity), catatonic, seasonal pattern
✔✔Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) - ✔✔Depressed mood most of day for
more days than not for at least 2 years (1 year in adolescents) . Intermittent normal
moods. Can co-occur in someone who has had MDD ("double depression") Chronic.
Chronic stress increases severity of symptoms. 50% onset before age 21.
✔✔Beck's Negative Cognitive Triad - ✔✔negative views of the self, the world, and the
future
✔✔Learned Helplessness theory - ✔✔Seligmann: When we have no control, we are
unmotivated to try to respond in the future
✔✔Reformed Helplessness theory - ✔✔Abramson: When exposed to uncontrollable
negative events, the ask "why" and the kind of attributions they make are central to
whether they become depressed.
✔✔Hopelessness theory - ✔✔ABrahamson - pessimistic attribution style conjoined with
negative life event not sufficient to produce depression unless one experiences state of
hopelessness.
, ✔✔Cyclothymis Disorder - ✔✔Severe cyclical mood changes but less than bipolar. At
greater risk of developing Bipolar I or II
✔✔Bipolar I - ✔✔presence of mania
✔✔Bipolar II - ✔✔No full blown manic or mixed episodes but experiences hypomanic
episodes as well as MDD. Evolves into bipolar I in only 5-15% of cases.
✔✔Rapid cycling - ✔✔a pattern of bipolar disorder involving at least four manic or
depressive episodes per year
✔✔Bipolar I vs Bipolar II - ✔✔Bipolar I: All that is required for Dx is 1 Manic Episode (No
depressive episode needed). Bipolar II: Requires at least one depressive episode and a
Hypomanic Episode
✔✔Suicide as Leading Cause of Death - ✔✔15th in world
✔✔90-95% die by suicide have... - ✔✔at least once psych disorder
✔✔How many who think about suicide make attempt? - ✔✔1/3 (highest risk in first year
of suicidal thinking)
✔✔Risk Factors for Men - ✔✔4x more likely than women (and tend to use more lethal
means). Older white men in particular.
✔✔Suicide warning signs - ✔✔threats, looking for access to ways to kill themselves,
writing or talking about dying
✔✔Joinder's interpersonal-psych model of suicide - ✔✔psychological states of
perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness plus acquired capacity for
suicide
✔✔Schneiderman - ✔✔godfather of suicide research: intense psychological pain
✔✔Suicide warning signs - ✔✔Someone threatening to hurt or kill themselves, looking
for access to method, talking or writing about death, hopelessness, rage/anger/revenge,
acting recklessly/risky activities, feeling trapped, increasing alcohol or drug use,
withdrawing from friends/family or society, anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping
all the time, dramatic changes in mood, no reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
✔✔psychosis - ✔✔significant loss of contact with reality
✔✔Risk factors for schizophrenia - ✔✔Father was 50+ years old; parent who works as
dry cleaner, first and second generation immigrants from black communities who live in
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Hypomanic Episode Diagnosis - ✔✔milder forms of mania. Lasts at least 4 days and
3 other symptoms needed but less impairment in social and occupational functioning
and hospitalization not required.
✔✔Major Depressive Disorder - ✔✔Most common. Second most prevalent mental
illness (anxiety #1).
✔✔Unipolar (depression) - ✔✔inversely related to socioecon status. (Higher rates in
lower econ groups)
✔✔Relapse - ✔✔return of symptoms w/in fairly short time (when pharmocaotherapy is
terminated prematurely, when symptoms have remitted but before underlying episode
really over)
✔✔recurrence - ✔✔onset of a new episode; occurs in 40-50% of people. probability
increases with each prior episode and when comorbidity exists. Usually not symptom
free between episodes.
✔✔Specifiers (determine treatment) - ✔✔melancholic, psychotic, atypical (mood
reactivity), catatonic, seasonal pattern
✔✔Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) - ✔✔Depressed mood most of day for
more days than not for at least 2 years (1 year in adolescents) . Intermittent normal
moods. Can co-occur in someone who has had MDD ("double depression") Chronic.
Chronic stress increases severity of symptoms. 50% onset before age 21.
✔✔Beck's Negative Cognitive Triad - ✔✔negative views of the self, the world, and the
future
✔✔Learned Helplessness theory - ✔✔Seligmann: When we have no control, we are
unmotivated to try to respond in the future
✔✔Reformed Helplessness theory - ✔✔Abramson: When exposed to uncontrollable
negative events, the ask "why" and the kind of attributions they make are central to
whether they become depressed.
✔✔Hopelessness theory - ✔✔ABrahamson - pessimistic attribution style conjoined with
negative life event not sufficient to produce depression unless one experiences state of
hopelessness.
, ✔✔Cyclothymis Disorder - ✔✔Severe cyclical mood changes but less than bipolar. At
greater risk of developing Bipolar I or II
✔✔Bipolar I - ✔✔presence of mania
✔✔Bipolar II - ✔✔No full blown manic or mixed episodes but experiences hypomanic
episodes as well as MDD. Evolves into bipolar I in only 5-15% of cases.
✔✔Rapid cycling - ✔✔a pattern of bipolar disorder involving at least four manic or
depressive episodes per year
✔✔Bipolar I vs Bipolar II - ✔✔Bipolar I: All that is required for Dx is 1 Manic Episode (No
depressive episode needed). Bipolar II: Requires at least one depressive episode and a
Hypomanic Episode
✔✔Suicide as Leading Cause of Death - ✔✔15th in world
✔✔90-95% die by suicide have... - ✔✔at least once psych disorder
✔✔How many who think about suicide make attempt? - ✔✔1/3 (highest risk in first year
of suicidal thinking)
✔✔Risk Factors for Men - ✔✔4x more likely than women (and tend to use more lethal
means). Older white men in particular.
✔✔Suicide warning signs - ✔✔threats, looking for access to ways to kill themselves,
writing or talking about dying
✔✔Joinder's interpersonal-psych model of suicide - ✔✔psychological states of
perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness plus acquired capacity for
suicide
✔✔Schneiderman - ✔✔godfather of suicide research: intense psychological pain
✔✔Suicide warning signs - ✔✔Someone threatening to hurt or kill themselves, looking
for access to method, talking or writing about death, hopelessness, rage/anger/revenge,
acting recklessly/risky activities, feeling trapped, increasing alcohol or drug use,
withdrawing from friends/family or society, anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping
all the time, dramatic changes in mood, no reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
✔✔psychosis - ✔✔significant loss of contact with reality
✔✔Risk factors for schizophrenia - ✔✔Father was 50+ years old; parent who works as
dry cleaner, first and second generation immigrants from black communities who live in
