Definitions of Abnormality
Name the definitions of abnormality
Deviation from social norms
Statistical infrequency
Deviation from ideal mental health
Failure to function adequately (FFA)
What are the 3 types of phobia?
Specific phobia
Social phobia/Social anxiety
Agoraphobia
Name two behavioural characteristics of depression
Activity levels
Disruption to sleeping and eating behaviour
Aggression and self-harm
What is the internal component of OCD?
Obsessions
Outline one definition of abnormality
FFA - unable to cope with demands of everyday life, e.g. can't hold down a job
DfSN - behaviour differs from what is expected
SI - behaviour which is numerically rare
DfIMH - occurs when someone does not meet one or more of the critera for ideal MH
Name one emotional, one cognitive and one behavioural characteristic of phobias.
B - Panic, avoidance endurance
C - Selective attention, irrational beliefs, cog distortions
E - Anxiety, fear, emotional response is unreasonable
What are the 3 aspects of Beck's cog explanation for depression?
Negative self-schemas
Faulty information processing
Negative triad
Name 2 candidate genes implicated in OCD
SERT gene
5HT1-D beta gene
COMT gene
Gene 9
SAPAP3
Provide a limitation of the SI definition
Unusual characteristics can be positive
Subjective interpretation of where we draw the line of normal/abnormal
How do behaviourists explain phobias?
Mowrer's two-process model - acquired through CC and maintained through OC
Talk through the ABCDE model
Activating Event - a situation occurs
Beliefs - these relate to the activating event; irrational beliefs cause distress
Consequences - these occur as a result of the beliefs related to the activating event
Dispute - the therapist challenges the irrational beliefs using disputation methods
Effective - new, effective beliefs replace the irrational ones
What was the concordance rate for OCD in MZ twins and DZ twins in Nedstadt et al.'s study?
MZ 68%
DZ 31%
Give an example of deviation from social norms being used for human rights abuses
Conditions that were diagnosed in women, e.g. nymphomania, or non-white ethnic groups, e.g. drapetomania
There are two treatments you have learned for phobias. Explain them both.
SD
Flooding
Give one reason why CBT may be better/preferable to drug therapy. Give one reason why drug therapy may be better/preferable to CBT.
CBT:
Lower relapse rates; no side effects; provides self-help strategies.
Drugs:
Quick to take; passive; can be used with severely depressed patients; can be used for unipolar and bipolar.
Give one criticism of neural explanations of OCD
Inconsistency in the evidence of structural differences between OCD patients
Reductionist
Deterministic
Other explanations, e.g. two-process model (behaviourist)
Can't prove causation - differences in structure could be a symptom
Discuss the issue of cultural relativism in the context of the deviation from social norms definition
Norms vary from culture to culture. An individual will judge what is 'normal' based on their own culture's norms, therefore we have to consider the culture of the individual to understand whether they are normal or not based on this definition.
Evaluate the behaviourist approach to treating phobias. Make 3 points.
Flooding is quicker, therefore may be more cost-effective than SD, but higher drop-out rates mean SD may be worth the cost.
Flooding is less ethical and can't be used with some individuals (e.g. children) because it's distressing.
Evidence for effective treatment.
Explain two methods of disputing (Ellis)
Empirical argument - is there evidence to support the negative belief?
Logical argument - does the negative thought follow logically from the facts?
Pragmatic disputing - how is this belief likely to help me?
Identify one brain structure implicated in OCD. Explain the role of this structure in OCD.
Orbitofrontal cortex - involved in the worry circuit; linked to impaired decision-making and increase in compulsive behaviours and anxiety due to worry circuit
Basal ganglia - involved in co-ordination of movements; linked to repetitive acts
Parahippocampul gyrus - regulation of unpleasant emotions
Caudate nucleus - fails to suppress worry signals from the OFC