Clinical Psychology - Mental Disorders

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Questions and Answers

Which disorder is characterized by irrational fears of specific objects or situations?

Generalized anxiety disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Panic disorder

Phobia (correct)

What defines personality disorders according to the provided content?

Enduring inflexible behavior patterns that differ from social expectations (correct)

Temporal behavior changes caused by environmental factors

Behavior that is adaptable and reactive to stress

Enduring inflexible behavior patterns that conform to social expectations

Which of the following is NOT a common type of anxiety disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder

Panic disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder (correct)

What characterizes the paranoid subtype of schizophrenia?

Delusions of grandeur and persecution (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which cluster of personality disorders is characterized by fearful and anxious behavior?

Cluster C (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a core principle of humanistic therapy according to Carl Rogers?

Individuals have innate worth and potential for growth (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which treatment approach primarily aims to resolve unconscious conflicts?

Psychoanalysis (A) Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant change introduced in the DSM-5?

Non-axial assessments (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary criticism of the DSM classification system?

It encourages stigma towards individuals with disorders (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of systemic desensitization?

Gradual exposure to anxiety-producing stimuli (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the weaknesses of using DSM classifications?

It can lead to misdiagnosis due to overlapping symptoms (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?

To change maladaptive behavior and thinking patterns (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'comorbidity' refer to in the context of mental disorders?

The presence of multiple disorders in an individual (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which therapy method focuses more on social and interpersonal experiences in contrast to traditional psychoanalysis?

Modern Psychoanalysis (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary issue with the old methods of treating mental illness mentioned?

They often resembled more torture than therapeutic help (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Clinical Psychology - Mental Disorders

Mental illness is defined as maladaptive behaviour, impairing function, distressing the individual and/or others
Stigma surrounds mental illness, poorly understood in society.
1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem at any given time.

Causes of Mental Disorders

Causes are multifaceted, involving both nature (biological) and nurture (environmental/social factors).
Biogenic factors include genetics and biology.
Nature vs nurture: psychodynamics, humanistic/sociocultural aspects (social factors, responses of others), and cognitive/behavioural factors.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)

The DSM is a classification system developed by psychiatrists for diagnosing mental disorders.
Different versions exist, with the current one being DSM-5-TR.
Diagnoses in DSM-IV-TR used to be categorized on 5 axes.
Currently, there is non-axial assessment.
Axes IV and V (social/environmental factors and overall functioning) are assessed as separate notations.

Treatment of Mental Disorders

Early approaches involved attributing mental illness to spirits or demons.
Treatments then shifted towards exorcism-like practices, reflecting prevailing beliefs about the cause of illness.
Modern treatments include eclectic approaches, drawing from various perspectives, such as psychodynamic (focus on unconscious conflicts) and humanistic (emphasizing a person's inherent worth) therapy.
Other treatments include behavioral, cognitive behavioral, and biological treatments.

Specific Mental Disorders

Anxiety disorders: Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and doom, accompanied by physical reactions. Various types include OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, phobias and generalized anxiety disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
Phobias: Irrational fears of specific objects or situations. Multiple types exist, such as agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific phobia (e.g., arachnophobia).
Somatoform disorders: characterized by physical symptoms with no apparent medical cause. Conditions include somatization disorder and conversion disorder.
Dissociative disorders: involve a disruption in consciousness or perception of reality. Examples include amnesia and identity disorder.
Personality disorders: consist of enduring patterns of inflexible behaviour that stem from social expectations and differ from social norms. Cluster A, B, and C define different personality types.

Subtypes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has varying subtypes including Paranoid, Disorganized, Catatonic, Undifferentiated. Positive (e.g. delusions, hallucinations) and negative symptoms (e.g. emotional flatness, apathy) are key characteristics.

Mood Disorders

Mood disorders are characterized by extreme emotional states like mania and depression. Bipolar disorder is an example of a mood disorder, featuring alternating episodes of mania and depression. Depression is another mood disorder, featuring a period of low mood

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Description

Explore the intricate world of mental disorders in this quiz, which covers definitions, stigma, and the multifaceted causes behind mental illness. Delve into the DSM classification system and understand how it has evolved over time, providing essential insights into diagnosis and treatment.