Abnormal PsychologyAbnormal Psychology
Psychological Disorders: Psychological Disorders: Mood/Affective, Personality, Mood/Affective, Personality,
SchizophrenicSchizophrenic
Mood DisordersMood DisordersSignificant & chronic disruption in Significant & chronic disruption in moodmoodCauses impaired cognitive, behavioral, Causes impaired cognitive, behavioral, & physical functioning& physical functioning
Differentiated from Differentiated from normal moods bynormal moods by
Duration Duration IntensityIntensityAbsence of causeAbsence of cause
Major (Unipolar) DepressionMajor (Unipolar) Depression• ““Common Cold” of DisordersCommon Cold” of Disorders• Unhappy for more than two Unhappy for more than two
weeks w/no clear reasonweeks w/no clear reason• Sadness, hopelessness, guiltSadness, hopelessness, guilt• Lethargic, slow movementsLethargic, slow movements• Loss of interest, does not enjoy Loss of interest, does not enjoy
usual activitiesusual activities• Difficulty concentratingDifficulty concentrating• Negativity, suicidal thoughtsNegativity, suicidal thoughts• Changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, Changes in appetite, sleep disturbances,
restlessnessrestlessness
Mood DisordersMood Disorders
• Seasonal Affective DisorderSeasonal Affective Disorder Experience Experience depression during certain time of yeardepression during certain time of year– 1-2% of U.S. population1-2% of U.S. population
Bipolar DisorderBipolar Disorder• Alternate between Alternate between
depressed and manic depressed and manic episodesepisodes
• Mania includes high Mania includes high energy, euphoria, energy, euphoria, impulsiveness impulsiveness & risky behavior& risky behavior– Rapid speech, inflated Rapid speech, inflated
self-esteem, self-esteem, grandiositygrandiosity
Prevalence of Bipolar Disorder Prevalence of Bipolar Disorder • 2 million Americans 2 million Americans
each yeareach year• Onset in early Onset in early
twentiestwenties• Affects men & women Affects men & women
in equal ratesin equal rates• Recurring, chronic Recurring, chronic
disorder that disorder that responds well to drug responds well to drug therapytherapy
Bipolar BrainBipolar Brain
Dysthymic DisorderDysthymic Disorder• Chronic depression, but not as Chronic depression, but not as severesevere• Constant low moodConstant low mood• Symptoms for at least 2 yearsSymptoms for at least 2 years
Cyclothymic DisorderCyclothymic Disorder• Similar to bipolar, but more mildSimilar to bipolar, but more mild• Short periods of mild depression and Short periods of mild depression and
less extreme manialess extreme mania
Mood Disorders- SuicideMood Disorders- Suicide
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-44 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
Suicides per100,000 people
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Males Females
The higher suicide rateamong men greatly increases in late adulthood
Mood Disorders-Mood Disorders-DepressionDepression
• The vicious The vicious cycle of cycle of depression depression can be can be broken at broken at any pointany point
1Stressful
experiences
4Cognitive and
behavioral changes
2Negative
explanatory style
3Depressed
mood
Theoretical Causes of Mood DisordersTheoretical Causes of Mood Disorders• Psychodynamic Psychodynamic anger directed anger directed
toward the self, overly punitive toward the self, overly punitive superegosuperego
• Behavioral/learning Behavioral/learning reinforcement reinforcement– Lack social skills needed to gain positive Lack social skills needed to gain positive
social reinforcement from otherssocial reinforcement from others
Cognitive Views on Causes of Mood Cognitive Views on Causes of Mood DisordersDisorders
• Psychologist Aaron Beck states that Psychologist Aaron Beck states that unreasonably negative ideas about selves unreasonably negative ideas about selves and the world cause mood disordersand the world cause mood disorders
• Attributional style Attributional style – Learned helplessness Learned helplessness person person
feels unable to control aspects feels unable to control aspects of future due to prior of future due to prior experiences (“no matter how experiences (“no matter how hard I try, I will never succeed”)hard I try, I will never succeed”)
Biological Causes of Mood Biological Causes of Mood DisordersDisorders
• Neurotransmitter imbalancesNeurotransmitter imbalances
- Unipolar depression = low serotonin, - Unipolar depression = low serotonin, abnormal abnormal levels of norepinephrinelevels of norepinephrine
- Bipolar disorder = more receptors for - Bipolar disorder = more receptors for acetylcholineacetylcholine
• Twin, family, and adoptive Twin, family, and adoptive studies indicate a genetic studies indicate a genetic predispositionpredisposition
James D. Laird and Nicholas S. Thompson, Psychology. Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Reprinted by permission.
Return
Genetics & Risk of Mood DisordersGenetics & Risk of Mood Disorders
Personality DisordersPersonality Disorders
Inflexible & enduring behavior patterns Inflexible & enduring behavior patterns that impair functioningthat impair functioning
Recognizable by adolescenceRecognizable by adolescence
Axis II of DSM-IVAxis II of DSM-IV
Antisocial Personality DisorderAntisocial Personality Disorder• Lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even Lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even
towards family/friendstowards family/friends• Irresponsible, reckless, criminal behaviorsIrresponsible, reckless, criminal behaviors• No guilt or remorseNo guilt or remorse• Punishment does not matter Punishment does not matter
Charles Manson
Jeffrey Dahmer Timothy McVeigh
Ted Bundy
Borderline Personality Disorder Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)(BPD)
• Unstable & intense Unstable & intense relationships w/othersrelationships w/others– Extreme fear of Extreme fear of
abandonmentabandonment
• Instability of emotions Instability of emotions and self-imageand self-image
• ImpulsiveImpulsive• Self-destructive Self-destructive
behaviorsbehaviors• Distorted thoughts Distorted thoughts
and perceptionsand perceptions
Personality DisordersPersonality Disorders
• PET scans illustrate reduced activation in a PET scans illustrate reduced activation in a murderer’s frontal cortexmurderer’s frontal cortex
Normal Murderer
Histrionic Personality DisorderHistrionic Personality Disorder• Displays shallow, attention-Displays shallow, attention-
getting emotionalitygetting emotionality• Need to be the center of Need to be the center of
attentionattention• Extreme emotional reactions Extreme emotional reactions
to minor eventsto minor events• OverdramaticOverdramatic
Narcissistic Personality DisorderNarcissistic Personality Disorder• Grandiose sense of Grandiose sense of
self-importanceself-importance• Fantasies of success Fantasies of success
or poweror power• Need for constant Need for constant
attention & attention & admirationadmiration
• Inappropriate Inappropriate reactions to criticismreactions to criticism
• Feels entitledFeels entitled
Dependent PersonalityDependent Personality• Excessively lacking in self-esteemExcessively lacking in self-esteem• Passively allowing others to make Passively allowing others to make all all decisionsdecisions• Constantly subordinating own Constantly subordinating own needs to needs to others’ needsothers’ needs
Avoidant PersonalityAvoidant Personality• Sensitive to potential rejectionSensitive to potential rejection• Socially withdrawn in spite of Socially withdrawn in spite of desire for acceptance from desire for acceptance from othersothers
Paranoid PersonalityParanoid Personality• Showing pervasive and Showing pervasive and
unwarranted unwarranted suspiciousness suspiciousness and and mistrust of peoplemistrust of people• Overly sensitiveOverly sensitive• Prone to jealousyProne to jealousy• NOT schizophrenic – no NOT schizophrenic – no hallucinations or delusions – hallucinations or delusions –
patient is still somewhat patient is still somewhat grounded in realitygrounded in reality
Theoretical Causes of Personality Theoretical Causes of Personality DisordersDisorders
• PsychodynamicPsychodynamic inability of superego to inability of superego to resolve conflicts (Oedipal complex leads to resolve conflicts (Oedipal complex leads to lack of guilt)lack of guilt)
• LearningLearning childhood experiences lead to childhood experiences lead to maladaptive ways of relating to othersmaladaptive ways of relating to others
• CognitiveCognitive misinterpretation of social info misinterpretation of social info• BiologicalBiological somewhat genetic somewhat genetic
- Parts of brain – prefrontal cortex, gray - Parts of brain – prefrontal cortex, gray matter, etc.matter, etc.- Lack of autonomic nervous system arousal- Lack of autonomic nervous system arousal
Positive SymptomsPositive Symptoms
1) Disordered, distorted 1) Disordered, distorted thinkingthinking
2) Hallucinations – 2) Hallucinations – perceptions without any perceptions without any sensory stimulationsensory stimulation
Schizophrenic Disorders
Inappropriate Inappropriate affect – affect –
emotional emotional responses not responses not suitable to the suitable to the
situationsituation
Positive Symptoms
3) Delusions – beliefs that have no basis in 3) Delusions – beliefs that have no basis in realityreality
- Delusions of persecution – belief that - Delusions of persecution – belief that people are out to get youpeople are out to get you
- Delusions of grandeur – belief - Delusions of grandeur – belief that you enjoy greater power that you enjoy greater power and influence than you doand influence than you do
Schizophrenic Disorders: Negative Schizophrenic Disorders: Negative SymptomsSymptoms
• Flat affect – no emotional responseFlat affect – no emotional response• Inability to enjoy oneselfInability to enjoy oneself• Lack of personal hygiene Lack of personal hygiene
Disorganized SchizophreniaDisorganized Schizophrenia• Disorganized speechDisorganized speech
- Make up own words (neologisms)- Make up own words (neologisms)
- Nonsense words (clang associations)- Nonsense words (clang associations)• Inappropriate or flat affectInappropriate or flat affect• Lack of hygieneLack of hygiene
Paranoid SchizophreniaParanoid Schizophrenia• Delusions of persecutionDelusions of persecution• Possible auditory (most common) or visual Possible auditory (most common) or visual
hallucinationshallucinations• Social withdrawalSocial withdrawal• Irrational behaviorIrrational behavior• Little verbal communicationLittle verbal communication
Catatonic SchizophreniaCatatonic Schizophrenia
• Impairment in motor activity Impairment in motor activity
- Periods of rigid or slow activity- Periods of rigid or slow activity• May hold unusual, difficult postures May hold unusual, difficult postures for for
hours hours
- Waxy flexibility - Waxy flexibility • Mutism – cannot speak but Mutism – cannot speak but
report hearing and report hearing and comprehending what others comprehending what others were saying were saying
Undifferentiated SchizophreniaUndifferentiated Schizophrenia• Disordered thinking but no Disordered thinking but no
symptoms of other types of symptoms of other types of schizophreniaschizophrenia
Chronic v. Acute Chronic v. Acute SchizophreniaSchizophrenia
• Chronic = gradually Chronic = gradually developeddeveloped• Acute = sudden onsetAcute = sudden onset
Warning signs…Warning signs…• Low birth weightLow birth weight• Short attention spanShort attention span• Poor muscle coordinationPoor muscle coordination
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
• Genetic factors– Abnormality on
fifth chromosome
• Dopamine hypothesis – too much dopamine in the brain
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
• Evidence of prenatal viral infection-based cause
• Abnormalities in brain structures/functioning– Brain asymmetries– Fluid-filled ventricles are enlarged in some
patients– Smaller thalamus
Other Causes• Psychodynamic regression to early
childhood• Cognitive Double-binds = person is given
contradictory messages
Top Related