Abnormal Psychology Ch. 4, 5, 6

A set of propositions meant to explain a class of observations. Usu. intended to explain cause-effect relationships.

Expectations about what should occur if a theory is true.

1) To provide a rich description of a clinical phenomenon, 2) To disprove an allegedly universal hypothesis, and 3) To generate hypotheses that can be tested through controlled research.

Desc: Collection of detailed biographical info.; Pro: Excellent for hypotheses, Provide info. about novel cases/procedures, Disconfirm a believed universal relationship; Con: no causal evidence, bias of observer.

Desc: Study of the relationship between two or more variables; measured as they exist in nature; Pro: Used due to ethical issues, Often in epidemiologist to study prevalence, incidence, & risk factors, Often in behav. genetics to study heritability of mental disorder; Con: No causality because of directionality and third-variable.

Desc: Includes independent/dependent variables, pref. 1+ control, & random assign.; Pro: Can determine causality, Often used in treatment, Use in analogue studies of risk for mental illness; Con: Single-case common but limited external validity.

Denoted by r, measures both magnitude and direction from -1.00 to +1.00

1) Prevalence, 2) Incidence, and 3) Risk factors

Cognitive therapy & Applied relaxation

Exposure, Cognitive behavioral group therapy, Systematic desensitization

Exposure, Guided mastery, Systematic desensitization

Exposure and response prevention, Cognitive therapy

Exposure, CBT

CBT

Prolonged exposure, Cognitive processing therapy

CBT, Interpersonal psychotherapy

Cognitive, Problem-solving, Self-management/self-control, & Behavior therapies, Interpersonal psychoterapy

Family-based treatment

Social skills training, Social learning/Token economy programs, Assertive community treatment, Supported employment programs, Family psychoeducation, Behavioral family therapy, Cognitive remediation, CBT

Community reinforcement approach

Behavioral couples therapy, Emotion-focused therapy, Insight-oriented couples therapy

Partner-assisted sexual skills training

Dialectical behavior therapy

The process of facilitating adoption of efficacious treatments in the community.

A quantitative method of analyzing the results of a set of studies on a topic, by standardizing the results.

* Marked and disproportionate fear consistently triggered by specific objects or situations
* The object of situation is avoided or else endured with intense anxiety
* Symptoms persist for at least 6 months

* must interfere with important areas of functioning or cause marked distress
* are not caused by drug or a medical condition
* the fears and anxieties are distinct from the symptoms of another anxiety disorder

1) Involves only depressive symptoms
2) Involves manic symptoms (bipolar disorders)

1) Major depressive disorder (MDD)
2) Dysthymia

1) Mixed anxiety/depressive disorder
2) Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
3) Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

1) Bipolar I disorder
2) Bipolar II disorder
3) Cyclothymia

Sad mood OR loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia)
* Symptoms are present nearly every day, most of the day, for at least 2 weeks
* Not due to normal bereavement (present in DSM-IV-TR but removed in DSM-5)
PLUS four of the following symptoms:
* Sleeping too much or too little
* Psychomotor retardation or agitation
* Poor appetite and weight loss, or increased appetite and weight gain
* Loss of energy
* Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
* Difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions
* Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Episodic
* Symptoms tend to dissipate over time
Recurrent
* Once depression occurs, future episodes likely – Average number of episodes is 4
Subclinical depression:
* Sadness plus 3 other symptoms for 10 days
* Significant impairments in functioning even though full diagnostic criteria are not met

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