Definitions of key abnormal psychology terms

Psychology Definitions

Psychosis = Loss of contact with reality.

Downward drift = Lower achievement than parents or family members in terms of social class, employment, and financial stability.

Positive vs. negative symptoms = Positive symptoms are present in the disorder and characterize it; Negative symptoms are present in normally functioning people, but absent in people with the disorder.

Delusions of persecution = the mistaken belief that someone or something is pursuing the individual and means him or her harm.

Difference between hallucinations and delusions = Hallucinations are sense perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or smelling things that do not in fact exist in reality. Delusions are patterns of thought about the self or the world that are not true or realistic.

Types of schizophrenia (disorganized, catatonic, paranoid, undifferentiated) = Disorganized: Characterized by disorganized speech patterns.

Catatonic: Movement disturbances.

Paranoid: Including delusions and hallucinations.

Undifferentiated: A combination of symptoms.

Genetics and schizophrenia (first degree relatives of a schizophrenic person more likely than second or third degree relatives to develop schizophrenia) = Refers to the likelihood of inheriting the condition on a genetic level.

Stress-vulnerability model = the model according to which an individual's susceptibility to stress determines his or her likelihood to develop a mental disorder.

Token economy = Systematic positive reinforcement to encourage behavior change.

Milieu therapy = Environmental factors are used to encourage recovery.

Chapter 13

Personality = Elements of character and behavior that make an individual distinct from others.

Difference between personality characteristics and personality disorders = Personality characteristics identify a person as individual. These are generally not harmful. Personality disorders will create some form of disturbance for the sufferer or those around him or her.

Comorbidity = Symptoms of more than one condition experienced by the same person.

Know the predominant features of each personality disorder = Such knowledge will help the therapist to identify assistance strategies ahead of time, which can be modified as necessary.

Know about the link between borderline personality disorder and suicide attempts = an awareness of this link will help the therapist to identify warning signs and provide assistance in a timely way.

Know that group therapy is useful for treatment of avoidant personality disorder = Knowing this avoids the intuitive tendency to reinforce the patient's avoidance.

Patients with which disorder are most likely to seek treatment on their own? Depression sufferers are most likely to seek treatment for their condition.

Problems in using the DSM-IV-TR to diagnose personality disorders = the main concern is that some guidelines are very specific. Some personality disorders may overlap or display atypical symptoms.

Chapter 14

Are boys or girls more likely to have a diagnosable psychological disorder? = Boys are more likely to have mental conditions that can be diagnosed/

Be able to differentiate between oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder = the ability to distinguish between these disorders will help teachers and parents to provide the correct treatments and therapies without exacerbating he situation.