PSY240 Abnormal Psychology Lecture 2 Sep,19 ,2012
Reviews from Last lecture:
How to define abnormal behavior?
a) Statistical Criteria
b) Cultural norms
c) Developmental norms
d) Frequency intensity, duration
We are looking for the behaviors that interfere with the daily functions.
Psychologist:
Assessment -> diagnoses -> treatment
Etiology: is a study of the causes and prevalent of abnormal behaviors.
Etiological models of abnormal behavior:
a) medical-disease models
In current/modern psychopathology, people tend to use medical disease models to
treat disorders.
Schizophrenia is the only disorder that’s proved medicines would help (biological
origin). You cannot treat schizophrenia with only psychotherapist since it was a brain
disorder. (too much dopamine=schizophrenia)
Genetic models
# We use twins study (identical twins), when one twin has schizophrenia; the
chance for another one to develop the disorder is 50%
# Stress is a big factor of developments of psychopathology.
Biochemical models
# Depression does not always response well to the same drug to each person;
schizophrenia does.
# These drugs are manipulating neurotransmitters.
(Depression = too little serotonin)
Neurophysiological models
Psychoanalytic model
# Freud: Mental disorder is because of the intro psychic conflict eternally.
b) social/environmental models
Sociocultural models
# This emphasizes on the socio/culture determines.
# Stressors in a person’s life -> Death of family, losing a job, divorcing but as well
as starting a new job, marrying etc. These can all affect psychopathology. More stress
you have the more possible you will develop psycho disorder.
Learning models #The model comes from Pavlov, and Skinner. The models are about how we learn
about the environments. The depression that causes by learning model suggests that
we think we are worthless from the interaction with other people or the stimulus.
We need a relearning therapist to treat this kind of depression.
Humanistic models
# Humanistic paradigm. It focuses on one’s positive views about what’s going
around them and themselves. It’s not interested to explore about unconscious or
learning.
What is Assessment in psychology?
Three major categories:
1. We interview 2. Testing 3.Observation or behavior assessment
# Interview is about the verbal responses from the patients, which is also the most
common in the assessments treating adult patients. (self-reports)
# To treat the children, observation of behaviors is the most common assessment.
First stage of the assessment is “referral”, who comes from a family position (or
general patrician). They will write down what the general problem might be and refer
the patient to a more specific help.
In the referral, the basic information is given, such as duration, unset and medical
stasis. (*Call morbid)
Observation: Simply looking at the physical behaviors of the patients in a specific
situation.
The observer bias can be aware on the observation.
Valuable information of observation of assessment: 5 categories
1. General appearance (How they present themselves can tell you a lot about
themselves such as their clothing, or cuts, bruces on themselves)
2. Emotional gestures/facial expressions (body languages; it is not just what they
wear but their body languages.) One of the most comment emotion gesture:
anxiety.
3. Grouse movements. (The area of the assessment of the responsibility. It can be
influence by different factors. It can be related to
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