PSYABNP

Module 2: The Science and

Practice of Abnormal
Psychology

Seann Tan-Mansukhani
 Outline

• Classification and Diagnosis

• Assessment
• Treatment
• Research and Ethics
 CLINICAL ASSESSMENT

• a process of collecting information

about an individual for understanding
and arriving at an informed decision.
Aspects of a Clinical Assessment

• Presenting problem
• Areas of Functioning
• Social Context
• Diagnostic Formulation
 Presenting problem
Dimensions of the problem:
•Characteristic patterns of behavior (description, frequency,
duration)
•Excesses/Deficits
•Appropriateness
•Strengths/Weaknesses
Background of the problem (context)
•What happened before and at the time of onset of problem
or symptoms
Areas of Individual Functioning
• Intellectual Functioning
• Personality or Social and Emotional
Functioning
• Coping Resources
 Social Context

• Family
• Friendship
• Occupation
• Community
• Culture
Diagnostic Formulation
Assessment

Hypothesis

Diagnosis

Treatment
 Assessment of the
Physical Organism

• General physical examination

• Neurological examination
• Neuropsychological examination
 Psychosocial Assessment

1. Interview (structured or unstructured)

 Psychosocial Assessment

2. Clinical observation of behavior

• clinician
• self-monitoring
• self-report
• rating scales
 Psychosocial Assessment
3. Psychological tests
• Intelligence tests (e.g., WAIS; Stanford
Binet)
• Personality tests
– Projective (e.g., Draw A Person, Sentence
Completion Test, Thematic Apperception
Test (TAT), Rorschach Inkblot Test)
– Objective (e.g., MMPI-2, 16 PF)
 INTERVENTIONS

1. Biologically based Therapies

2. Psychologically based Therapies
Biologically based Therapies

1. Psychopharmacotherapy
2. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
3. Neurosurgery (Psychosurgery)
 Psychopharmacology
• the science of determining which drugs work to
alleviate which disorders.
• Antianxiety drugs or anxiolytics (“minor tranquilizers”)
• Antidepressant drugs
• Lithium
• Antipsychotic drugs (“major tranquilizers)
 Psychotherapies

1. Psychodynamic Therapy
2. Behavior Therapy
3. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
4. Humanistic-Experiential Therapy
5. Interpersonal Therapy
6. Family Therapy
Research in Abnormal Psychology

• Hypothesis
- is a plausible idea to explain a
behavior
- based on a viewpoint or model
- determines the therapeutic approach
 HYPOTHESIS
about
abnormal behavior TREATMENT

VIEWPOINT/
MODEL
 Research Methods
• Clinical Case Study
- in-depth study of an
individual that draws from a
number of data sources (multi-
method)
- rare phenomenon (Case of
Anna O.)
- not generalizable
• Experimental study
- the use of control to establish
causation
• Correlational study
- association of two or more
variables to determine the
direction and magnitude of
relationship
 Epidemiology
(Nolen-Hoeksema, 2020)

• frequency and distribution of a disorder in a

population
• Prevalence – proportion of the population that has the
disorder at a given period in time (lifetime prevalence,
a short period prevalence)
• Incidence – number of new cases of the disorder that
develop during a specific period of time.
• Risk factors – conditions associated with a higher risk
of having the disorder.
 Ethics in Research
Ethical principles in 1. Understanding the study
2. Confidentiality
research serve to
3. Right to refuse or withdraw
promote the dignity of participation
participants, protect 4. Informed consent
human welfare or risk, • Potential Risks and benefits
and preserve scientific 5. To be free from Deception
(unless justified)
integrity (APA, 2002). 6. Debriefing