Abnormal Psychology Notes

Abnormal Psychology – is a scientific study of unusual patterns of behaviors, thoughts and emotions
associated with mental illness.

Plagiarism – is a form o academic dishonesty wherein a student copies answers from published books
and online resources.

Referencing style - a set of rules that are observed in academic writing to give credit to the authors of
resource materials.

Normality – It is the expected behavior or way of living observed by majority of population.orm

Elements in determining Abnormality

1. Suffering
2. Maladaptiveness
3. Statistical Deviancy
4. Dangerousness
5. Violation of Societal Norms
6. Irrationality
7. Unpredictability

Demonology

Biological Approaches

1. Insulin Shot Shock Treatment – high/overdose of insulin depriving the brain of its main source of
food (sugar), comatose.
2. Electroconvulsive Treatment or Electric Shock Treatment - produce convulsions
3. Pre-frontal lobotomy – brain surgery

Psychological Approaches

1. Mesmerism – treatment of hysteria (functional incapacities such as paralysis and blindness)

through hypnosis or mesmerism
2. Psychoanalysis (Sigmund Freud) – unconscious conflicts as contributory factor to abnormal
behavior.
3. Psychoanalytic Therapy – thorough gathering of information of the patient’s historical
background, childhood experiences, emotional and interpersonal relationships.
4. Free Association – the patient is allowed to say whatever that comes out to his or her mind.
5. Transference – patient’s description of behaviors and attitudes of the important people of his or
her life.

Non-Freudian Psychodynamic Forces

1. Analytical Psychology (Carl Gustav Jung) – collective unconscious, common unconscious

that consist of archetypes. These archetypes are basic classifications that people use to form a
perception about the world they live in. He also described gender differences based on
personality traits. Basic id urges are composed of spiritual/religious urges that are influenced
by personality traits. Extraversion and Introversion
2. Individual Psychology (Alfred Adler) – He believe that individual fulfillment is derived
from contributing to the growth of society. Individual productivity and goal-oriented task
 achievement. He also emphasized that the individual’s manner of thinking greatly affects a
person’s behavioral and emotional output.

3. Behaviorism - is a therapeutic principle in psychology that focuses on observed behavior.

Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov) – is a learning process wherein the individual

eventually gives a different response due to repeated stimuli. In his theory, the event that
elicits an expected response is combine with an event that does not. After repeated exposure
to the event, the event that doesn’t elicit response will eventually do so.

Operant Conditioning (B.F. Skinner) - is a type of learning wherein a learned behavior is

an effect of a stimulus. Principle of reinforcement – reinforcement is a stimuli. Positive
reinforcement is a phenomenon wherein a pleasant stimulus called positive reinforcement is
used to strengthen a good behavioral outcome. Negative reinforcement removes the
presence of pleasant stimulus to strengthen the good behavioral outcome.

Behavior Therapy/Behavioral Modification Therapy – applies classical operant

conditioning principles. The principle of operant conditioning that was described by Skinner
is used to cause a desired behavioral change. Systematic Desensitization Therapy is
treatment for phobias. This form of treatment alters the abnormal behavior through gradual
exposure to what triggers unusual fear or anxiety.

Cognitive Therapy – Contemporary psychologists believe that thinking and perception

influences behavior. Identification of unpleasant thoughts that need to modify and patients are
made to be aware of their maladaptive perception exposure of patients/clients to it in order to
change how they feel or behave.

Classification of Mental Illnesses

1. Communication - establishment of a universal classification enables specialists involved

in the care of mentally ill communicate with each other effectively.
2. Comprehension – by classifying mental illnesses, specialists will be able to know what
causes them and the processes involved in the disease course.
3. Control - Classification of mental illnesses will allow specialists to improve treatment
strategies and prevention of diseases.

What are the characteristics of good classification system?

1. It is reliable
2. It is valid
3. It is universal
4. It is efficient
5. Meets the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and health care providers.

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY NOTES

Characteristics of Good Classification System

1. It is Reliable – It limits errors that lead to false positive and false negative diagnosis.
2. It is Valid – It enables accurate recognition of mental illnesses.
 3. It is Universal – It considers gender, racial and sociocultural diversity, allowing it to be
applicable in different settings.
4. It efficient – The ideal classification Systems has an impact on recognition and treatment
of mental illnesses with consequent improvement in clinical outcomes.
5. Meets the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and health care providers.

Approaches to Classification of Mental Illnesses

1. Categorical – Emil Kraepelin. Every diagnosis has an underlying mechanism called

pathophysiologic cause. Classification of either the individual is healthy or ill. Those
individuals who are ill, there other illnesses that can be further classified according to its
similarity to disease presentation or causative factor.
2. Dimensional Approach – of classifying illnesses works on assumption that the person’s
usual behavior is an end result of various aspects that leads to a person’s behavior.
3. Prototype – is a designated entity that fits the categorical description of a certain disease
classification.

DSM – V Chapters

1. Neurodevelopmental Disorders – disorders seen during infancy, childhood and

adolescence. Autism and Mental Retardation are samples of disorders that can be
considered as intellectual disability and intellectual development disorder subsequently.
2. Schizophrenia Spectrum and other Psychotic Disorders - patients with schizophrenia
are recognizable by disturbances on their thought, perception and emotion. There are
more symptoms for this disease but only few symptoms are ruled out to diagnose this
kind of disease. This disease can only be diagnosed when other mental illness are already
ruled out. There is no cure for this disease and its nature draw fear and concerns from the
family members and relatives of the patient. Symptoms of Schizophrenia are group in to
positive or negative. Positive symptoms are abnormal thought processes like delusions,
hallucinations and disorganized speech. Negative symptoms include lack of normal
reactions which includes blunted effect which patients lack of facial expressions and only
minimal speech. Catatonic Schizophrenia is one special type of this disease wherein
patients maintain an abnormal body position for a considerable length of time.Sometimes
patients maintain uncomfortable positions, for hours, days and weeks.
3. Bipolar and Related Disorders – previously known as manic depressive disorder.
Patients with this condition manifest with two extreme disturbances in emotion. Manic
phase – unusual happiness and excitement, delusions of grandeur false belief that they are
powerful than others in terms of intellectual ability. Depressive phase, gloomy or
unusually sad.
4. Anxiety Disorder – group of disorders which involve feelings of fear and anxiety.
Normal feelings of fear and anxiety when face with an appropriate stimulus. Example,
after watching a horror movie or seeing a frog. Some fears and anxieties has a pathologic
response especially with the absence of stimulus. Example is when someone is afraid to
go out of the house because he might see a frog. These disorders have wide range of
illnesses from generalized anxiety disorder to phobias.
5. Obsessive –Compulsive and Related Disorders – Patients with these disorders
generally manifest obsessive thoughts and consequent compulsive action. Disorders
included in these group of diseases include hoarding disorder, skin picking disorder,
 medication-induced-obsessive compulsive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder
due to another general medical condition.
6. Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders –Disorders included in this category include
abnormal coping mechanisms or pathologic responses due to stressful or traumatic life
events. Post-traumatic stress disorder is included in this disease category.
7. Dissociative Disorders –Those who experience interrupted concept of reality,
consciousness and memory characterize patients with dissociative disorders.
Dissociative amnesia – patients with temporary disruptions in memory.
Dissociative Identity Disorder – those with permanent disease course
Multiple personality disorder – is an old term for patients with dissociative identity
disorder.

Multiple Identity Disorder

8. Feeding and Eating Disorders –Those who are suffering from eating disorders have
disturbances on their perception of image and body shape. Anorexia Nervousa and
Bulimia are common eating disorders in this category.
9. Elimination Disorders –Patients suffering from this disorder excrete fecal material or
urine in abnormal manner. These disorders can be voluntary or involuntary. Two most
common disorders belonging to this category are encopresis and enuresis. Encopresis is
a condition wherein a patient defecates in places other than the toilette. Enuresis causes
individuals to urinate inappropriately.
10. Sleep-Wake Disorders – Sleep disorders include a wide-variety of illnesses that
manifest with disturbances in sleep pattern or behavior. Aside from those with insomnia,
patients with sleeping disorders have difficulty in maintaining normal sleep duration or
cannot sleep during normal sleeping hours. Some of these disorders have biological
explanation but others say it’s a psychological status of the individual.
11. Sexual Dysfunctions –Patients that are suffering from sexual dysfunction are those with
functional abnormalities that are psychological in nature. Exhibitionism and Voyeurism.
Patients with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation also belong to this category.
12. Gender Dysphoria–Patients that are suffering from gender dysphoria are those who are
not satisfied with their gender identity. Patients are uncomfortable with their anatomical
gender and they should otherwise. As a result, patients with this disorder usually cross
dress and act as the opposite gender. Cross dressing and gender reassignment surgery.
13. Disruptive, Impulse Control and Conduct Disorders – Individuals with this disorder
cannot resist urges to do immoral acts/unacceptable behavior. Kleptomania – one’s
irresistible urge to take belongings that doesn’t belong to him or her. Pyromania - an
impulse disorder that involves an irresistible urge to set fires.
14. Substance Use and Addictive Disorders – Individuals who are suffering from substance
abuse and addictive disorders have significant impaired life styles as a result of addiction
to a certain substance or habit. Substance-related and addictive disorders are
associated with the abuse of substances and drugs people take to alter the way they think,
feel and behave.
15. Neurocognitive Disorders – Patients who suffer from this disorder have disturbances on
cognitive aspects of thinking usually involving memory. There are two major disorders
that fall under this category, dementia and delirium. Dementia is a cognitive disorder that
may be a caused of Alzheimer’s disease or stroke. On the other hand, Delirium is a
 temporary cognitive disturbance caused by illnesses or chronic ingestion of illicit drugs
or alcohol.
16. Personality Disorders – People with personality disorders have disturbances on the way
they perceive oneself and other people. These disturbances cause significant functional
impairments that affect person’s daily activities.

Disorders Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence

Classification of Childhood Disorders

General Categories of Childhood Disorders

Childhood disorders are generally categorized based on the behaviors associated with
disease. The two broad categories are the internalizing and externalizing disorders.

Externalizing disorders

These disorders are predominantly manifest with outward-directed behaviors such as

overactivity, impulsiveness and aggressiveness. In these behaviors children usually
unable to control their behaviors according to socially acceptable standards. Some of the
disorders under this category are: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct
disorder and oppositional-defiant disorder.

The following are the symptoms of externalizing behaviors:

1. Rule Violation
2. Aggressive Behavior
3. Negativity
4. Being angry all the time
5. Impulsivity
6. Hyperafctivity
7. Distractibility

Autism – is the most disabling developmental disorders among children.

Children with autism have emotional and social disturbances

They do not readily approach other people and usually have poor eye contact.

Communication deficits

Pronounce reversal – children refer to themselves as he/she instead of I.

Echolalia – is when a child repeats what he hears from another person.

Repetitive and ritualistic acts –

Neurocognitive Disorders
Neurocognitive disorders are commonly seen among elderly.

Organic Mental Disorders in previous editions of DSM manuals.

General categories of neurocognitive disorders

1. Delirium
2. Mild Neurocognitive Disorder
3. Major Neurocognitive Disorder

Delirium – was derived from latin word which means out of track. It is a mental state
intermediary between normal sensorium and stupor or comatose state.

Clinical Manifestations

- Patients with delirium often manifest with disturbances in the level of awareness, which
is characterized being in the state of confusion, disturbed concentration or thinking
difficulties.

- Delusional Disorder – persistent belief contrary to reality

- Erotomanic type – they believe that the one they love, loves them back
- Grandiose type – they have power over other people
- Jealous type – isolate lovedones due to jealousy
- Persecutory type – someone in the world will get them
- Somatic type – physical (maggots inside the body)
- Mixed -

Alcohol Use Disorders

Alcoholics/Alcoholism - individuals with alcohol use disorder

WHO – prefers the term alcohol dependence syndrome

Alcohol dependence syndrome – which is used to describe a syndrome, both physical and
psychological compulsion to take alcohol on a regular basis to experience its effects and to avoid
the discomfort of its absence.

Delirium tremens – is a specific condition seen in abrupt discontinuation of alcohol , wherein

patients present with muscular tremors as result of decrease in blood alcohol levels.

Gamma – amino Butyric (GABA) or glutamate receptors of neurotransmitters are activated

during alcohol consumption.

Changes in neurotransmitter receptors and liver enzyme contribute to the alcohol dependence.

Alcohol use disorder is also part of polydrug abuse wherein more than one substance is actively
abused at a time.

Clinical Manifestations
Short term effects of Alcohol

Schizoprenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

Schizoprenia is one of the most well-known mental health disorder.

Disorganized Symptoms

Disorganized speech – patients with schizophrenia may manifest with incoherent speech.

Neologisms – coming up with new words

Loosening of Associations or Derailment – lack linear form of thought in conversations.

Schizoaffective Disorder -