Psychological Disorders
AP Psychology
Ch 14
Psychological Disorders
People are fascinated by the exceptional, the unusual, and the abnormal. This fascination may be caused by two
reasons:
1. During various moments we ___________, ___________, and ___________ like an abnormal
individual.
2. Psychological disorders may bring unexplained ___________ ___________,
______________________, and ___________ thoughts.
Psychological Disorder Facts:
 There are ___________million people suffering from psychological disorders (WHO,
2004).
 ______________________ and ______________________ exist in all cultures of the world.
Defining Psychological Disorders
Mental health workers view psychological disorders as persistently ______________________ thoughts,
feelings, and actions.
When ______________________ is deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional psychiatrists and psychologists label
it as disordered.
Deviant, Distressful & Dysfunctional
1. Deviant behavior (going naked) in one ______________________may be considered normal, while
in others it may lead to arrest.
2. Deviant behavior must accompany ______________________.
3. If a behavior is ______________________ it is clearly a disorder.
Understanding Psychological Disorders
Ancient Treatments of psychological disorders include trephination, exorcism, being caged like animals, being
beaten, burned, castrated, mutilated, or transfused with animal’s blood.
The Medical Model
When physicians discovered that ___________led to mental disorders, they started using medical models to
review the ______________________of these disorders.
1. ______________________: Cause and development of the disorder.
2. ______________________: Identifying (symptoms) and distinguishing one disease from another.
3. ______________________: Treating a disorder in a psychiatric hospital.
4. ______________________: Forecast about the disorder.
Medical Model-Philippe Pinel (1745-1826) from France, insisted that madness was not due to demonic
possession, but an ______________________ of the ______________________.
The Biopsychosocial Approach
Assumes that biological, socio-cultural, and psychological factors ___________and ___________ to produce
psychological disorders.
Classifying Psychological DisordersThe American Psychiatric Association rendered a ______________________ and
____________________________________________of Mental Disorders (DSM) to describe psychological
disorders.
The most recent edition, ___________ ___________ (Text Revision, 2000), describes
___________psychological disorders compared to ___________ in the 1950s.
Multiaxial Classification- A procedure used in DSM-IV-TR for diagnosing patients on five axis
Axis I- Is a ___________ ___________ (cognitive, anxiety, mood disorders [16 syndromes]) present?
Axis II- Is a ______________________or _________________________________present?
Axis III-Is a ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ (diabetes, hypertension or arthritis etc)
also present?
Axis IV-Are ______________________or ___________ ___________ (school or housing issues) also present?
Axis V- What is the _________________________________of the person’s functioning?
Goals of DSM
1. ___________ (400) disorders.
2. Determine how ______________________ the disorder is.
Disorders outlined by DSM-IV are ______________________. Therefore, diagnoses by different
professionals are ______________________.
Others criticize DSM-IV for “putting any kind of ______________________ within the compass of
psychiatry.”
Labeling Psychological Disorders
1. Critics of the DSM-IV argue that labels may ______________________ individuals.
2. Labels may be helpful for healthcare professionals when ______________________with one another and
establishing ______________________.
3.“Insanity” labels raise ___________ and ___________ questions about how
______________________should treat people who have disorders and have committed
______________________.
Anxiety Disorders- Feelings of excessive apprehension and anxiety.
1. Generalized anxiety disorder
2. Panic disorder
3. Phobias
4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
5. Post-traumatic stress disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder1. Persistent and uncontrollable ______________________and ______________________.
2. ______________________ arousal
3. Inability to ______________________ or ______________________the cause of certain feelings
Panic Disorder1. Minutes-long episodes of intense ___________which may include feelings of ___________,
______________________, ______________________, or other frightening sensations.
2. ___________ is a component of both disorders. It occurs more in the panic disorder, making people
___________ situations that cause it.
Phobias- Marked by a ______________________ and ______________________ fear of an ___________or
___________ that disrupts ______________________.
Kinds of Phobias
AgoraphobiaAcrophobiaClaustrophobiaHemophobiaObsessive-Compulsive Disorder- Persistence of ______________________thoughts (obsessions) and urges to
engage in ___________ ___________ ___________ (compulsions) that cause ___________.
Brain Imaging
A PET scan of the brain of a person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). High ___________ activity
in the ______________________areas are involved with directing ______________________.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder- ___________ or ___________ weeks of the following symptoms constitute
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):
1. ______________________
2. ______________________
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
Resilience to PTSD Only about 10% of _______________and 20% of _______________react to traumatic situations
and develop PTSD.


______________________________show remarkable resilience against traumatic situations.
All major _______________ of the world suggest that _______________ a trauma leads to the
growth of an _______________l.
Explaining Anxiety Disorders- _______________ suggested that we _______________our painful and
intolerable ideas, feelings, and thoughts, resulting in _______________.
The Learning Perspectiveo Learning theorists suggest that ______________________________leads to anxiety. This anxiety then
becomes ______________________________with other objects or events (stimulus generalization) and
is reinforced.
o Investigators believe that fear responses are inculcated through ______________________________.
Young monkeys develop fear when they watch other monkeys who are afraid of _______________.
The Biological Perspective ______________________________has led our ancestors to learn to fear snakes, spiders, and
other animals. Therefore, fear _______________ the species.
 Twin studies suggest that our _______________ may be partly responsible for developing fears
and anxiety. Twins are more likely to share _______________.
 Generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and even OCD are linked with brain circuits like the
___________________________________________________________________________.
Dissociative Disorders- Conscious awareness becomes ______________________________ (dissociated)
from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings.
Symptoms:
1. Having a sense of being ______________________________.
2. Being ______________________________ from the body.
3. Watching ______________________________ as if in a movie.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)-A disorder in which a person exhibits
______________________________distinct and alternating ______________________________, formerly
called multiple personality disorder.
DID Critics-Critics argue that the diagnosis of DID ______________________________ in the late 20th
century. DID has not been found in other ______________________________.
DID Critics’ Arguments:
1. ______________________________by people open to a therapist’s suggestion.
2. ______________________________that reinforces reductions in anxiety.
Mood Disorders- Emotional extremes of mood disorders come in two principal forms.
1. Major depressive disorder
2. Bipolar disorder
Major Depressive Disorder Depression is the “______________________________” of psychological disorders. In a year,
5.8% of men and 9.5% of women report depression worldwide (WHO, 2002).
 Major depressive disorder occurs when signs of depression last
______________________________or more and are not caused by _______________or
_______________conditions.
 Signs include:
1. Lethargy and _______________
2. Feelings of _______________
3. Loss of interest in _____________________________________________
4. Loss of interest in ______________________________
Bipolar DisorderFormerly called ______________________________disorder. An alternation between
______________________________ and _______________signals bipolar disorder.
Many great writers, poets, and composers suffered from bipolar disorder. During their _______________ phase
creativity surged, but not during their depressed phase.
Explaining Mood Disorders Since depression is so prevalent ______________________________, investigators want to develop a
theory of depression that will suggest ways to _______________ it.
 Lewinsohn et al., (1985, 1998) note that a theory of depression should explain the following:
1. _______________ and _______________changes
2. Common _______________ of depression
3. _______________ differences
4. Depressive episodes ______________________________.
5. ______________________________often precede depression.
6. Depression is increasing, especially in the ______________________________.
SuicideThe most severe form of behavioral response to depression is suicide. Each year some
_______________people commit suicide worldwide.
Suicide Statistics:
1. _______________ differences
2. _______________ differences
3. _______________differences
4. _______________ differences
5. Other differences
Biological Perspective- Genetic Influences: Mood disorders run in _______________. The rate of depression is
higher in _______________ (50%) than _______________twins (20%).
______________________________and association studies link possible genes and dispositions for depression.
The Depressed Brain
PET scans show that brain ______________________________rises and falls with manic and depressive
episodes.
Social-Cognitive Perspective- The social-cognitive perspective suggests that depression arises partly from
_____________________________________________ and ______________________________ explanatory
styles.
Negative Thoughts and Moods- ______________________________ style plays a major role in becoming
depressed.
Depression Cycle
Schizophrenia-The literal translation is “______________________________” which refers to a split from
_______________. A group of severe disorders characterized by the following:
1. _______________ and _______________thinking.
2. Disturbed _______________.
3. Inappropriate _______________ and _______________.
Symptoms of SchizophreniaPositive symptoms: the presence of _______________ behaviors (hallucinations, disorganized or
delusional talking)
Negative symptoms: the absence of _______________behaviors (expressionless faces, rigid bodies)
Disorganized & Delusional Thinking fragmented, bizarre thinking with distorted beliefs called _______________ .
 Many psychologists believe disorganized thoughts occur because of
_____________________________________________failure (fragmented and bizarre thoughts).
Disturbed Perceptions
A schizophrenic person may perceive things that are not there (______________________________).
Frequently such hallucinations are ______________________________and lesser visual, somatosensory,
olfactory, or gustatory.
Inappropriate Emotions & Actions
A schizophrenic person may laugh at the news of someone dying or show no emotion at all
(______________________________).
Onset and Development of Schizophrenia Nearly 1 in a 100 suffer from schizophrenia, and throughout the world over 24 million people suffer
from this disease (WHO, 2002).
 Schizophrenia strikes ______________________________as they mature into adults. It affects men and
women equally, but men suffer from it more severely than women.
Chronic and Acute Schizophrenia When schizophrenia is slow to develop (_______________/process) recovery is _______________.
Such schizophrenics usually display _______________ symptoms.
 When schizophrenia rapidly develops (_______________/reactive) recovery is _______________. Such
schizophrenics usually show _______________symptoms.
Understanding Schizophrenia-Schizophrenia is a disease of the _______________ exhibited by the symptoms
of the _______________.
Brain Abnormalities: ______________________________ Overactivity: Researchers found that
schizophrenic patients express higher levels of dopamine _______________ receptors in the brain.
Abnormal Brain Activity- Brain scans show abnormal activity in the ______________________________,
______________________________, and ______________________________of schizophrenic patients.
Abnormal Brain Morphology- Schizophrenia patients may exhibit morphological changes in the brain like
______________________________of fluid-filled ______________________________.
Viral Infection- Schizophrenia has also been observed in individuals who contracted a viral infection (flu)
during the _______________ of their _______________development.
Genetic Factors- The likelihood of an individual suffering from schizophrenia is _______________ if their
_____________________________________________has the disease (Gottesman, 2001).
Psychological Factors______________________________ and ______________________________ factors can trigger
schizophrenia if the individual is genetically predisposed (Nicol & Gottesman, 1983).
The genetically identical Genain sisters suffer from schizophrenia. Two more than others, thus there are
contributing ______________________________factors.
Personality Disorders - Personality disorders are characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns
that impair _____________________________________________. They are usually without
_______________, ______________________________, or ______________________________.
Antisocial Personality Disorder-A disorder in which the person (usually _______________) exhibits a lack of
______________________________for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. Formerly, this
person was called a ______________________________or ______________________________.
Understanding Antisocial Personality Disorder- Like mood disorders and schizophrenia, antisocial
personality disorder has ______________________________and ______________________________ reasons.
Youngsters, before committing a crime, respond with lower levels of ______________________________than
others do at their age.
PET scans of 41 murderers revealed ______________________________in the _______________ lobes. In a
follow-up study, repeat offenders had 11% less frontal lobe activity
Rates of Psychological Disorders-