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Abnormal Psychology (Chapter 6-10)

Research in Psychology 2 (Our Lady of Fatima University)

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CHAPTER 6:
Somatic Symptoms and Related Disorder - characterized by a pathological concern with physical
functioning or appearance
So atic Sy pto Diso de B i uet’s Sy d o e – Pierre Briquet
Characteristics:
 Reports of multiple physical symptoms without a medical basis
 Runs in a families; probably heritable basis
 Rare-most prevalent among unmarried women in low socioeconomic groups
 Onset usually in adolescence; often persist into old age
Treatment:
 CBT
 Therapy to broaden basis for relating to other
Illness Anxiety Disorder – formerly hypochondriasis
 Physical symptoms are either not experienced at the present time or are very mild, but severe
anxiety is focused on the possibility of having a serious disease
 Idea of being sick instead of the physical symptoms itself
Characteristics:
 Severe anxiety over physical problems that are medically undetectable
 Affects women and men equally
 May emerge at any age
 Evident in diverse culture
Treatment:
 Psychotherapy – to challenge illness perception
 Counselling or support groups – to provide reassurance
Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder)
 Physical malfunctioning such as paralysis, blindness, or difficulty speaking (aphonia), without any
physical or organic pathology to account for the malfunction
Globus hystericus – sensation of lump in the throat that makes is difficult to swallow, eat, or sometimes
talk
Characteristics:
 Affected individual are genuinely unaware that they can function normally
 May coincide with other problems, especially somatic symptoms disorder

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 Most prevalent in low socioeconomic groups, women and men under extreme stress
Treatment:
 CBT

Closely Related Disorders

Malingering – faking
 La belle indifference –
Factitious disorder – malingering and conversion disorder
 Voluntary control but there is no obvious reason for voluntary producing the symptoms except,
possibly, to assume the sick role and received increased attention
 Factitious disorder imposed on another (Munchausen syndrome by proxy) – individually
makes someone else sick
Dissociative Disorders – characterized by detachment from self and objective reality
Depersonalization – perception alters so that you temporarily lose the sense of your own reality
Derealization – your sense of the reality of the external world is lost
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Characteristics:
 Severe a d frighte i g feeli gs of detach e t do i ate the perso ’s life
 Affects person feels like an outside observer of his or her own mental or body processes
 Causes significant distress or impairment in functioning, especially emotional expression and
deficits in perception
 Some symptoms are similar to those of panic disorder
 Rare; onset is usually in adolescence
Treatment:
 Psychological treatment similar to those for panic disorder
 Stresses associated with onset of disorder should be addressed
 Tends to be lifelong
Dissociative Amnesia
 Generalized Amnesia - unable to remember anything, including who they are
 Localized or Selective Amnesia – failure to recall specific events, usually traumatic, that occur
during a specific period

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 Dissociative Fugue – unexpected trip, memory loss is accompanied by purposeful travel or

bewildered wandering
Treatment:
 Usually self-correcting when current life stress is resolved
 Therapy focuses on retrieving lost information
Dissociative Identity Disorder
 People may adopt as many as 100 new identities, average number is 15
 Alters – separate identities, different personality
 Host – usually attempts to hold various fragments of identity together but end up being
overwhelmed
 Switch – transition from one personality to another
Characteristics:
 Affected individual adopts new identities, or alters, that coexist simultaneously; the alters may
be complete and distinct personalities or only part independent
 Childhood onset; affects more women than men
 Patients usually suffer from other psychological disorder simultaneously
 Rare outside of Western cultures
Treatment:
 Long term psychotherapy may reintegrate separate personalities
 Treatment of associated trauma similar to PTSD, lifelong condition without treatment
Dissociative Trance
Characteristics:
 Sudden changes in personality accompany a trance or possession
 Causes significant distress or impairment in functioning
 Often associated with stress or trauma
 Prevalent worldwide, usually religious context; rarely seen in Western cultures
 More common in women than in men
Treatment:
 Little is known

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CHAPTER 7:
Mood Disorder – gross deviations in mood
Major Depressive Episode – extremely depressed mood state that lasts at least 2 weeks and include
cognitive symptoms and disturbed physical function
Mania – extreme overconfidence and energy, often leading to reckless behavior
Depression – devastating low with extreme lack of energy, interest, confidence, and enjoyment in life
Hypomanic – less version of manic episode that does not cause marked impairment in social or
occupational functioning and need last only 4 days rather than a full week
Mixed features – individual experience manic symptoms but feel somewhat depressed or anxious at the
same time, or depressed with a few symptoms of mania

Depressive Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder – absence of manic, or hypomanic episode before or during the disorder
Characteristics:
 Begin suddenly, often triggered by crisis, change, or loss
 Extremely severe, interferes with normal functioning
 Can be long term, lasts for a month or years if untreated
 Some people have only one episode, but the pattern usually involves repeated episodes or
lasting symptoms
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) – depression remains relatively unchanged over long
periods
 Depressed mood that continues at least 2 years, during which the patient cannot be symptoms
free for more than 2 months at a time even though may not experience all of the symptoms of a
MDD
Characteristics:
 Long term unchanging symptoms of mild depression, sometimes lasting 20 to 30 years if
untreated.
 Daily functioning not severely affected, but over time impairment is cumulative
Double Depression – individuals suffer from both major depressive episode and persistent depression
with fewer symptoms
Characteristics:
 Alternating periods of major depression and dysthymia

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Other Depressive Disorder

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder – combination of physical symptoms, severe mood swings and anxiety
are associated with incapacitation during this period of time
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder – severe recurrent temper outbursts manifested verbally or
behaviorally that are grossly out of proportion in intensity or duration to the situation

Bipolar Disorder – tendency of manic episodes to alternate with major depressive episode in an
unending rollercoaster ride from the peak of elation to the depth of despair
Bipolar I Disorder – individual experiences major depressive and a full manic episode
Bipolar II Disorder – major depressive episode alternate with hypomanic episode rather than full manic
episodes
Cyclothymic Disorder – chronic alteration of mood elevation and depression that does not reach the
severity of manic or major depressive episode
Treatment for Mood Disorder:
Medication – antidepressant can help to control symptoms and restore neurotransmitter functioning
 Tricyclics – Tofranil and Elavil
 Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors – Nardil and Pamate; causes severe side effects
 SSRI – Prozac and Zoloft; newer and causes fewer side effects
 Lithium – for bipolar disorder, side effects can be serious
CBT
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Light Therapy – for seasonal affective disorder

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CHAPTER 8:
Eating Disorder – feel a relentless, all-encompassing drive to be thin
Bulimia Nervosa – out of control consumption of mostly non-nutritive food within a short time
Characteristics:
 Elimination of food through self-induced vomiting or excessive use of laxatives and diuretics
 Exercise excessively of fast between binges to compensate for binges
 Vomiting may enlarge salivary enamels, erode dental enamel, and cause electrolyte imbalance
resulting in cardiac failure or kidney problems
 Weight usually within 10% of normal
 Age of onset is typically 18 to 21 years old
Treatments:
 Antidepressant
 Short-term CBT
 Interpersonal psychotherapy
Anorexia Nervosa – intense fear of obesity and persistent pursuit of thinness
Characteristic:
 Severe caloric restriction, often with excessive exercise and sometimes purging, to the point of
semi-starvation
 Sever limiting caloric intake may cause cessation of menstruation, downy hair on limbs and
cheeks, dry skin, brittle hair or nails, sensitivity to cold, and danger of acute cardiac or kidney
failure
 Weight is at least 15% below normal
 Onset 18 to 21
Treatment:
 Hospitalization
 Outpatient to restore weight and correct dysfunctional attitudes on eating and body shape
 Family therapy
 More resistant to treatment than bulimia
Binge-Eating – out of control food binges, but no attempt to purge the food or compensate for
excessive intake
Characteristics:
 Marked physical and emotional stress, some sufferers binge to alleviate bad moods

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 Binge eaters share some concerns about weight and body shape as individuals with anorexia
and bulimia
 Tend to affect more older people
Treatment:
 Short-term CBT
 IPT
 Drug treatment to reduce feeling of hunger
 Self-help approach
Obesity –
Characteristics:
 70% of US adults are overweight and over 35% are obese
 Worldwide problems
 Two forms of maladaptive eating patterns; Binge eating and Night eating syndrome
 Increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and other physical
problems

Sleep-Wake Disorder – characterized by extreme disruption in the everyday lives of affected individuals,
and are an important factor in many psychological disorder
Dysomnias – disturbance in the timing, amount and quality of sleep
Insomnia Disorder – difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, or nonrestorative sleep
Causes: pain, insufficient exercise, drug use, environmental influences, anxiety, respiratory problems,
and biological vulnerability
Treatment: Benzodiazepines, Psychological

Narcolepsy – sudden daytime onset of REM sleep combined with cataplexy, often accompanied by sleep
paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations
Causes: Genetic
Treatment: Stimulant drugs

Hypersomnolence Disorder – abnormally excessive sleep and sleepiness, and involuntary daytime
sleeping. Only classified disorder when it disruptive
Causes: Genetic or excessive serotonin

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Treatment: Stimulant drugs

Breathing-Related Sleep Disorder – disturbed sleep and daytime fatigue resulting from hypoventilation
or sleep apnea
Causes: Narrow or obstructed airway, obesity and increased age
Treatment: Continuous positive air pressure, Weight loss

Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorder – sleepiness or insomnia

Causes: inability to synchronize sleep pattern with current pattern of day and night due to jet lag, shift
work, delayed sleep or advance sleep
Treatment: Phase delays to adjust bedtime and bright light to readjust biological clock

Parasomnias – abnormal behavior that occur during sleep

Nightmare – frightening REM dreams that awaken the sleeper.
 It is qualified as nightmare disorder when they are stressful enough to impair normal
functioning.
 Causes are unknown but decreases with age

Sleep terrors – occurring during NREM sleep and most commonly afflict children.
 Sleeping child screams, cries, sweats, sometimes walks, has rapid heartbeat, and cannot easily
be awakened or comforted.
 Genetic

Sleepwalking – occurs at least once during NREM in 15% to 30% of children under age 15
 Causes may include extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, sedative or hypnotic drugs, and stress
 Adult sleepwalking is associated with other psychological disorder
 Genetic

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CHAPTER 9:
Stress – physical response of an individual to a stressor
General Adaptation Syndrome – response to sustained stress
Alarm – response to immediate danger or threat
Resistance – mobilize various coping mechanism to respond to stress
Exhaustion – body suffer permanent damage or death

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) – HIV attacks the immune system and opportunistic
infections develop uncontrollably
 Treatments focus on strengthening the immune system and gaining a sense of control

Cardiovascular Problems
Stroke – blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain
Hypertension – constriction of blood vessels at organs and extremities puts an extra pressure on the
heart, which eventually weakens
Coronary Heart Disease – blockage of arteries supplying blood to the heart
Chronic Pain – begin with acute episode, but does not diminish when injury heals
 Typically involves joints, muscle, and tendons, may result from enlarged blood vessels, tissue
degeneration, or cancerous tumors
 Psychological and social influence may cause and maintain pain to a significant degree
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – lack of nerve strength or neurasthenia
 Lack of energy, marked fatigue, aches and pain, and occasionally low-grade fever
Cancer – abnormal cell growth produces malignant tumors
 Psychosocial treatments may prolong life, alleviate symptoms, and reduce depression and pain

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CHAPTER 10:
Sexual Dysfunction – difficulty to function adequately while having sex
 Lifelong – present during entire sexual history
 Acquired – interrupts normal sexual pattern
 Generalized – present in every encounter
 Situational – present only with a certain partners or at certain times
Types of Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual Desire Disorder
 Male hypoactive SDD – apparent lack of interest in sexual activity of fantasy
Sexual Arousal Disorder
 Erectile Disorder – recurring inability to achieve or maintain adequate erection
 Female sexual interest/arousal disorder – recurring inability to maintain adequate lubrication
Orgasm Disorder
 Female orgasmic disorder – inability to achieve orgasm despite adequate desire and arousal
 Premature ejaculation – ejaculation before it is desired, with minimal stimulation
Sexual Pain Disorder
 Genito-Pelvic pain/Penetration Disorder - marked pain, anxiety, and tension associated with
intercourse for which there is no medical cause
 Vaginismus – muscle spasm in the front of the vagina that prevent the intercourse
Causes:
 Biological predisposition and psychological factors
 Neurological and other NS problems
 Vascular Disease
 Chronic illness
 Prescription medication
 Drug abuse, and alcohol
 Distraction
 Underestimates arousal
 Negative thought processes
 Erotophobia
 Negative experiences, such as rape

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 Deterioration of relationship

Paraphilic Disorder – sexual arousal occurs almost exclusively in the context of inappropriate objects or
individuals
Types:
Fetishistic Disorder – sexual attraction to nonliving objects
Voyeuristic Disorder – sexual arousal achieved by viewing unsuspecting person undressing or naked
Exhibitionistic Disorder – sexual gratificatio fro exposi g o e’s ge itals to u suspecti g strangers
Transvestic Disorder – sexual arousal from wearing opposite sex pain or humiliation
Sexual Sadism Disorder – sexual arousal associated with inflicting pain or humiliation
Sexual Masochism Disorder – sexual arousal associated with experiencing pain or humiliation
Pedophilic Disorder – strong sexual attraction to children
Incest – sexual attraction to family members
Causes:
 Preexisting deficiencies
 Treatment received from adults during childhood
 Early sexual fantasies reinforced by masturbation
 Extremely strong sex drive combined with uncontrollable thought processes
Treatment:
 Covert sensitization – repeated mental reviewing of aversive consequences to establish
negative associations with behaviors
 Relapse intervention – therapeutic preparation for coping with future situation
 Orgasmic reconditioning – pairing appropriate stimuli with masturbation to create positive
arousal patterns
 Medical – drug that reduce testosterone to suppress sexual desire; fantasies and arousal return
when drugs are stopped
Gender Dysphoria – person feels trapped in a body that is the wrong sex, which does not match his or
her innate sense of personal identity
Causes: Hormonal variation
Treatment: Sex reassignment surgery, removal of breasts or penis; genital reconstruction
 Psychosocial intervention to change gender identity

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