Abnormal Psychology Overview

Definition

• Abnormal psychology studies atypical behavior, emotional responses, and mental disorders.
• Focuses on understanding, diagnosing, and treating psychological disorders.

Key Concepts

• Normal vs. Abnormal: Normal behavior is culturally accepted and typical; abnormal behavior deviates from societal norms.
• Criteria for Abnormality:
  • Statistical rarity
  • Violation of social norms
  • Personal distress
  • Dysfunctionality (impairment in daily functioning)

Major Categories of Disorders

1. Anxiety Disorders

   • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
   • Panic Disorder
   • Phobias
   • Social Anxiety Disorder

2. Mood Disorders

   • Major Depressive Disorder
   • Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Disorder)
   • Dysthymia

3. Personality Disorders

   • Antisocial Personality Disorder
   • Borderline Personality Disorder
   • Narcissistic Personality Disorder
   • Avoidant Personality Disorder

4. Psychotic Disorders

   • Schizophrenia (includes hallucinations, delusions)
   • Schizoaffective Disorder

5. Eating Disorders

   • Anorexia Nervosa
   • Bulimia Nervosa
   • Binge-Eating Disorder

6. Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

   • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
   • Body Dysmorphic Disorder

7. Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders

   • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
   • Acute Stress Disorder

Assessment and Diagnosis

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM):

  • Published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
  • Provides standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.

• Assessment Methods:

  • Clinical interviews
  • Psychological testing (e.g., personality tests, cognitive assessments)
  • Behavioral observations

Treatment Approaches

• Psychotherapy

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Psychodynamic Therapy

• Biological Treatments

  • Medication (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics)
  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

• Alternative Treatments

  • Mindfulness and meditation
  • Support groups

Important Terms

• Stigma: Social disapproval or discrimination against individuals with mental disorders.
• Comorbidity: The simultaneous presence of two or more disorders.
• Resilience: The ability to bounce back from adversity or stress.

Current Trends and Research Areas

• Neurobiology of mental disorders
• Impact of trauma on mental health
• Role of genetics in psychological disorders
• Emergence of teletherapy and digital mental health solutions

Abnormal Psychology: An Overview

• Abnormal psychology examines irregular behavior, emotional reactions, and mental health issues.
• Its goals include comprehending, diagnosing, and treating psychological disorders.

Defining Abnormality

• What's considered "normal" behavior is influenced by cultural standards and norms.
• Abnormal behavior deviates from these social norms.
• Several criteria are used to identify abnormality:
  • Statistical rarity: A behavior is considered abnormal when it's statistically uncommon.
  • Violation of social norms: Actions that break society's expectations.
  • Personal distress: Significant emotional suffering experienced by the individual.
  • Dysfunctionality: Inability to perform daily tasks and function effectively.

Major Disorder Categories

Anxiety Disorders

• Characterized by intense fear, apprehension, and avoidance behaviors.
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent, excessive worry about various things.
  • Panic Disorder: Sudden, intense panic attacks marked by physical symptoms like heart palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
  • Phobias: Irrational fears of specific objects or situations.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder: Overwhelming anxiety in social situations, fear of judgment.

Mood Disorders

• Involve extreme fluctuations in mood.
  • Major Depressive Disorder: Prolonged feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest.
  • Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Disorder): Alternating episodes of mania (elevated mood) and depression.
  • Dysthymia: A chronic, low-grade depression that lasts for at least two years.

Personality Disorders

• Inflexible and unhealthy personality patterns that cause significant distress or impairment in daily life.
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder: Disregard for rules, others' feelings, and a lack of remorse.
  • Borderline Personality Disorder: Instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions.
  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy.
  • Avoidant Personality Disorder: Extreme shyness, fear of rejection, and social isolation.

Psychotic Disorders

• Characterized by breaks from reality, including hallucinations and delusions.
  • Schizophrenia: Disorganized thinking, hallucinations, delusions, and social withdrawal.
  • Schizoaffective Disorder: A combination of schizophrenia symptoms and mood disorder symptoms.

Eating Disorders

• Disturbances in eating behavior, body image, and weight control.
  • Anorexia Nervosa: Intense fear of gaining weight, severe food restriction, and distorted body image.
  • Bulimia Nervosa: Recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by purging behaviors (vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative use).
  • Binge-Eating Disorder: Recurrent episodes of uncontrolled binge eating without purging behaviors.

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

• Characterized by obsessions (persistent intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors).
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Unwanted intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety.
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Preoccupation with perceived flaws in physical appearance.

Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders

• Develop after exposure to traumatic or stressful events.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Persistent re-experiencing of trauma, avoidance, negative thoughts and feelings, and hyperarousal.
  • Acute Stress Disorder: Similar to PTSD, but symptoms last for less than a month.

Assessment and Diagnosis

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), provides standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
• Assessment Methods Used:
  • Clinical interviews: Gather detailed information about the individual's history, symptoms, and concerns.
  • Psychological testing: Administering tests to evaluate personality, cognitive abilities, and mental functioning.
  • Behavioral observations: Observing an individual's behavior in specific situations to assess their responses and interactions.

Treatment Approaches

• Treatment methods aim to alleviate symptoms, improve functioning, and enhance well-being.
  • Psychotherapy: Talking therapy that explores thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identify and change negative thinking patterns and behaviors.
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Focuses on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills.
    • Psychodynamic Therapy: Exploring unconscious conflicts and past experiences.
  • Biological Treatments: Medical interventions targeting biological factors.
    • Medication: Pharmaceutical drugs, like antidepressants and antipsychotics, that address brain chemistry imbalances.
    • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): A controlled use of electric currents to induce a brief seizure, often for severe depression.
    • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): Non-invasive technique using magnetic pulses to stimulate brain regions.
  • Alternative Treatments: Complementary approaches that may work alongside traditional therapies.
    • Mindfulness and meditation: Focus on present moment awareness to reduce stress and anxiety.
    • Support groups: Connect individuals with others who share similar experiences and provide encouragement.

Important Terms

• Stigma: Social disapproval or discrimination against individuals with mental illnesses.
• Comorbidity: The presence of two or more disorders in the same individual.
• Resilience: The ability to adapt and bounce back from challenging experiences.

Promising Areas In Research

• Neurobiology of mental disorders: Understanding the brain mechanisms underlying these disorders.
• Impact of trauma on mental health: The long-term effects of trauma on mental and physical health.
• Role of genetics in psychological disorders: The contribution of genes to the development of disorders.
• Emergence of teletherapy and digital mental health solutions: Utilizing technology to expand access to mental health services.

Test your knowledge on the key concepts of Abnormal Psychology, including the definitions and criteria for abnormality. Explore major categories of disorders such as anxiety, mood, personality, and psychotic disorders in this comprehensive quiz.