Unit 4 - Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods
Institution
AQA
A comprehensive and in-depth set of notes about the psychopathology topic of psychology. Written for the NEW 2015 spec for AQA Psychology. Suitable for paper 1 of both AS and A2 exams
Ø The DSM is the ‘American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders’
Ø It contains mental health disorders, and is systematically reviews and modified
in line with new research.
1. The DSM is used to classify disorders using defined diagnostic criteria.. This includes
a list of symptoms which can be used as a tool for diagnosis
2. The DSM makes diagnosis concrete and descriptive
3. Classifications allow new data to be collected about a disorder. This can help in the
development of new treatments and medication
4. This type of classification has been criticised for stigmatising people and ignoring
their ‘uniqueness’ by putting them in artificial groups
- DEPRESSION -
Depression Is A Mood Disorder
Ø Mood disorders are characterised by strong emotions, which can influence a
person’s ability to function normally. A mood disorder can affect someone’s
perceptions, thinking and behaviour.
Ø Depression is one of the most common mood disorders. There are many types,
including:
1) Major Depression (Unipolar Disorder) – An episode of depression that can
occur SUDDENLY
• Major depression can be reactive – caused by external factors e.g.
the death of a loved one
• Or, it can be endogenous – caused by internal factors e.g.
neurological factors
2) Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder) – Alternation between two mood
extremes (mania and depression
• The change in mood occurs in regular cycles of days or weeks
• Episodes of mania involve overactivity, rapid speech, and feeling
extremely happy or agitated
• Episodes of depression involve the symptoms below
Depression Has Lots of Clinical Characteristics
Physical / Behavioural Symptoms:
• Sleep disturbances – insomnia or hypersomnia
• Change in appetite – eat less or more, gain more or lose weight
• Pain – especially headaches, joint ache and muscle ache
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, • Lack of activity – social withdrawal and loss of sex drive
Cognitive Symptoms:
• Experiencing persistent negative beliefs about themselves and their abilities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Slower thought processes – difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Affective / Emotional Symptoms:
• Extreme feelings of sadness, hopelessness and despair
• Diurnal mood variation – Changes in mood throughout the day e.g. feeling worse in
the morning
• Anhedonia – no longer enjoying activities or hobbies that used to be pleasurable
For a person to be diagnosed with MAJOR DEPRESSION the DSM states that 5 of the above
symptoms must be present every day for at least 2 weeks.
- PHOBIAS -
A Phobia is an Irrational Fear
A phobia is an anxiety disorder – it’s an extreme, irrational fear of a particular object or
situation. The DSM classifies sever type of phobias:
1) Specific Phobias
This is a fear of specific objects or situations. There is 5 subtypes:
1) Animal type (zoophobia) e.g. arachnophobia
2) Environment dangers (e.g. fear of water bodies)
3) Blood-injection-injury type (e.g. fear of needles)
4) Situational type (e.g. fear of enclosed spaces or heights)
5) ‘Other’ (any phobia that isn’t covered in the above categories)
2) Agoraphobia
1) This is the fear of open spaces, using public transport, being in an enclosed
space, waiting in line, or being in a crowd, or not being at home
2) Its specifically linked with the fear of not being able to escape or find help if
an embarrassing situation arises
3) It often involves the sufferer avoiding the situation in order to avoid stress
4) It may develop as a result of other phobias, because the sufferer’s afraid
that they’ll come across the source of their fear if they leave their house
3) Social Anxiety Disorder
1) This is the fear of being in social situations (e.g. eating in public or talking in
front of a group of people) it usually down to the possibility of being judged
or being embarrassed.
Phobias Have Several Clinical Characteristics
Cognitive Symptoms:
Ø Irrational beliefs about the stimulus that causes fear.
Ø People often find it hard to concentrate because they’re preoccupied by anxious
thoughts
Behavioural Symptoms:
Ø Avoiding social situations because they cause anxiety. This happens especially if
someone has social anxiety phobia (social phobia) or agoraphobia
Ø Altering behaviour to avoid the feared object or situation, and trying to escape if
it’s encountered. People are often generally restless and easily startled.
Physical Symptoms:
Ø Activation of the ‘fight or flight’ response when the feared object or situation is
encountered or thought about. This involves release of adrenaline, increased heart
rate and breathing, and muscle tension.
Emotional Symptoms:
Ø Anxiety and a feeling of dread.
There are Various Diagnostic Criteria for Phobias
The DSM classifies fear as a phobia if you can put a tick next to these criteria:
1) There’s significant prolonged fear of an object or situation which lasts more than 6
months
2) People experience an anxiety response (e.g. increased Heart Rate) if they're
exposed to they phobic stimulus
3) Phobias are out of proportion to any danger
4) Sufferers go out of their way to avoid the phobic stimulus
5) The phobia disrupts their lives e.g. they avoid social situations
- OCD -
OCD has two parts
1) Obsessive-Compulsive disorder has 2 parts – obsessions and compulsions. Most
people with OCD experience obsessions and compulsions that are linked to each
other. For example, excessive worrying about catching germs (an obsession) may
lead to excessive hand-washing (a compulsion).
2) Obsessions are the cognitive aspect of OCD, and the compulsion is the behavioural
aspect. OCD also has an emotional aspect – the obsessions tend to cause people
anxiety, and their compulsions are an attempt to relieve this.
3) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder affects about 2% of the world’s population.
Sufferers usually develop in their late teens or early 20’s. The disorder occurs
equally in men and women and in all ethnic groups.
Obsessions Is The Cognitive Part Of The Disorder
Ø Obsessions are intrusive and persistent thoughts, images and impulses.
Ø They are the internal aspect of OCD.
Ø They can range worrying that you left the oven on to worrying that you might kill
your parents
For thoughts like these to be classified as obsessions, the DSM outlines the following criteria:
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