Introduction Introduction to to PsychologicaPsychological Disordersl Disorders

Module 36Module 36*All images from Myers in Modules: 7*All images from Myers in Modules: 7thth Ed. and Google Images unless otherwise labeled next to image. Ed. and Google Images unless otherwise labeled next to image.

Psychological DisordersPsychological Disorders

Perspectives on Perspectives on Psychological DisordersPsychological Disorders Defining Psychological DisordersDefining Psychological Disorders

Understanding Psychological Understanding Psychological DisordersDisorders

Classifying Psychological Classifying Psychological DisordersDisorders

Labeling Psychological DisordersLabeling Psychological Disorders

Rates of Psychological DisordersRates of Psychological Disorders

Psychological DisordersPsychological Disorders

I felt the need to clean my room … would spend four to I felt the need to clean my room … would spend four to five hours at it … At the time I loved doing it. Then I five hours at it … At the time I loved doing it. Then I didn't want to do it any more, but I couldn’t stop … didn't want to do it any more, but I couldn’t stop …

The clothes hung … two fingers apart …I touched my The clothes hung … two fingers apart …I touched my bedroom wall before leaving the house … I had bedroom wall before leaving the house … I had constant anxiety … I thought I might be nuts.constant anxiety … I thought I might be nuts.

Marc, diagnosed withobsessive-compulsive disorder

(from Summers, 1996)

Psychological DisordersPsychological Disorders

People are fascinated by the exceptional, People are fascinated by the exceptional, the unusual, and the abnormal. This the unusual, and the abnormal. This

fascination may be caused by two reasons:fascination may be caused by two reasons:

1. During various moments we feel, think, and act like an abnormal individual.

2. Psychological disorders may bring unexplained physical symptoms, irrational fears, and suicidal thoughts.

Psychological DisordersPsychological Disorders

To study the abnormal is the best way of To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the normal.understanding the normal.

1. There are 450 million people suffering from psychological disorders (WHO, 2004).

2. Depression and schizophrenia exist in all cultures of the world.

William James (1842-1910)

Defining Psychological Defining Psychological DisordersDisorders

Mental health workers view Mental health workers view psychological disorderspsychological disorders as persistently as persistently harmful thoughts, feelings, and actions.harmful thoughts, feelings, and actions.

When behavior is deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional psychiatrists and

psychologists label it as disordered (Comer, 2004).

Deviant, Distressful & Deviant, Distressful & DysfunctionalDysfunctional

1.1.DeviantDeviant behavior behavior (going naked) in one (going naked) in one culture may be culture may be considered normal, considered normal, while in others it while in others it may lead to arrest.may lead to arrest.

2.2.Deviant behavior Deviant behavior must accompany must accompany distressdistress..

3.3. If a behavior is If a behavior is dysfunctionaldysfunctional it is it is clearly a disorder.clearly a disorder.

In the Wodaabe tribe men wear costumes to

attract women. In Western society this could be considered

abnormal depending on the situation.

Carol B

eckwith

Understanding Psychological Understanding Psychological DisordersDisorders

Ancient Treatments Ancient Treatments of psychological disorders of psychological disorders include trephination, exorcism, being caged include trephination, exorcism, being caged

like animals, being beaten, burned, castrated, like animals, being beaten, burned, castrated, mutilated, or transfused with animal’s blood.mutilated, or transfused with animal’s blood.

Trephination (boring holes in the skull to remove evil forces)

John W. V

erano

The Medical ModelThe Medical ModelPhilippe Pinel (1745-1826) from France, insisted that Philippe Pinel (1745-1826) from France, insisted that madness was not due to demonic possession, but an madness was not due to demonic possession, but an

ailment of the mind.ailment of the mind.

Dance in the madhouse.

George W

esley Bellow

s, Dancer in a M

adhouse, 1907. © 1997 T

he Art Institute of C

hicago

Medical ModelMedical ModelWhen physicians discovered that syphilis led to mental When physicians discovered that syphilis led to mental

disorders, they started using disorders, they started using medical modelsmedical models to review the to review the physical causes of these disorders.physical causes of these disorders.

Dorethea Dix (1802-1887) helped transition asylums into Dorethea Dix (1802-1887) helped transition asylums into hospitals in U.S.hospitals in U.S.

1. Etiology: Cause and development of the disorder.

2. Diagnosis: Identifying (symptoms) and distinguishing one disease from another.

3. Treatment: Treating a disorder in a psychiatric hospital.

4. Prognosis: Forecast about the disorder.

The Biopsychosocial The Biopsychosocial ApproachApproach

Assumes that biological, socio-cultural, and Assumes that biological, socio-cultural, and psychological factors combine and interact psychological factors combine and interact

to produce psychological disorders.to produce psychological disorders.

Classifying Psychological Classifying Psychological DisordersDisorders

The American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association rendered a Diagnostic and Statistical rendered a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to

describe psychological disorders.describe psychological disorders.

The most recent edition, DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision, 2000), describes 400

psychological disorders compared to 60 in the 1950s.

Goals of DSMGoals of DSM

1.1. Describe (400) disorders.Describe (400) disorders.2.2. Determine how prevalent the Determine how prevalent the

disorder is.disorder is.

Disorders outlined by DSM-IV are reliable. Therefore, diagnoses by different professionals are similar.

Others criticize DSM-IV for “putting any kind of behavior within the compass of psychiatry.”

Labeling Psychological Labeling Psychological DisordersDisorders

1.1. Critics of the DSM-IV argue that Critics of the DSM-IV argue that labels may stigmatize individuals.labels may stigmatize individuals.

Asylum baseball team (labeling)

Elizabeth E

ckert, Middletow

n, NY

. From

L. G

amw

ell and N

. Tom

es, Madness in A

merica, 1995. C

ornell University P

ress.

Labeling Psychological Labeling Psychological DisordersDisorders

2.2. Labels may be helpful for healthcare Labels may be helpful for healthcare professionals when communicating with professionals when communicating with one another and establishing therapy.one another and establishing therapy.

Labeling Psychological Labeling Psychological DisordersDisorders

3.3. “Insanity” labels “Insanity” labels raise moral and raise moral and ethical questions ethical questions about how society about how society should treat should treat people who have people who have disorders and disorders and have committed have committed crimes.crimes.

Theodore Kaczynski(Unabomber)

Elaine T

hompson/ A

P Photo

Rates of Psychological Rates of Psychological DisordersDisorders

Questions on causes and Questions on causes and treatments from the school’s treatments from the school’s perspective?perspective?

Psychoanalytic-focus on unconscious, id-ego-superego interaction, Psychoanalytic-focus on unconscious, id-ego-superego interaction, defense mechanisms, free association (open-ended questions to get at defense mechanisms, free association (open-ended questions to get at root of problem)root of problem)

Behavioral-how observable reflexive symptoms are conditioned Behavioral-how observable reflexive symptoms are conditioned (classical conditioning), how voluntary behaviors are reinforced (operant (classical conditioning), how voluntary behaviors are reinforced (operant conditioning), use of exposure therapy, token economyconditioning), use of exposure therapy, token economy

Cognitive-thoughts, get sufferer from irrational to rational thoughts, Cognitive-thoughts, get sufferer from irrational to rational thoughts, locus of control, learned helplessness, rational-emotive therapy (a direct locus of control, learned helplessness, rational-emotive therapy (a direct approach)approach)

Humanistic-which Pyramid of Need is missing?, use of unconditional Humanistic-which Pyramid of Need is missing?, use of unconditional positive regard to build trust, empathy, understanding between therapist positive regard to build trust, empathy, understanding between therapist and patientand patient

Biological-which brain parts are dysfunctional, use of medicine, ECT, Biological-which brain parts are dysfunctional, use of medicine, ECT, brain surgery to control neurotransmitters and hormonesbrain surgery to control neurotransmitters and hormones