Psychological Perspectives on Psychopathology

Study Notes

Transition from attributing psychological disorders to evil spirits to brain pathology emphasizes scientific evolution in understanding mental health.
Psychosocial treatment approaches consider psychological, social, and cultural factors in the causation of psychopathology.
Early philosophers highlighted the significance of fantasies, dreams, and cognitions, laying groundwork for psychoanalytic and cognitive sciences.
Advocated for humane and responsible care for individuals with psychological disturbances.

The term "moral" refers more to emotional and psychological factors than a code of conduct.
Core principles involve treating institutionalized patients normally to foster social interaction and mental well-being.
Philippe Pinel and Jean-Baptiste Pussin revolutionized moral therapy in the early 19th century in psychiatric care.
Pussin implemented reforms, including the removal of chains for patient restraint and introduced humane psychological interventions.
William Tuke adopted Pinel's methods in England; Benjamin Rush is noted as the founder of U.S. psychiatry and promoted moral therapy at Pennsylvania Hospital.
Asylum conditions improved from prison-like environments to therapeutic settings due to the rise of moral therapy.
Dorothea Dix championed reform, bringing attention to the horrific conditions faced by the mentally ill, leading to the mental hygiene movement.

Psychoanalytic Model:
- Concepts such as catharsis, defense mechanisms, dream analysis, and free association are central to understanding psychological disorders.
Behavioral Model:
- Focuses on learning processes, including classical conditioning and operant conditioning, to explain behaviors associated with psychopathology.

Emphasizes self-actualization and the importance of person-centered therapy that fosters unconditional positive regard for individuals.

Advocates a multidimensional integrative approach that considers a range of influences as opposed to linear causation models.
Emphasizes the interdependence of biological, psychological, and social dimensions in understanding psychopathology.
- Biological Dimensions: Includes causal factors from genetics and neuroscience.
- Psychological Dimensions: Encompasses behavioral and cognitive processes, such as learned helplessness, social learning, and unconscious influences.
- Emotional Influences: Play a significant role in the development of psychological disorders.
- Social Dimensions: Sociocultural factors are crucial for understanding individual psychological conditions.
- Developmental Influences: Must be considered when discussing psychological disorder causation.