Summary
PYC4802 psychopathology summary
- Course
- Institution
PYC4802 psychopathology summary made in preparation for the exam. To be used in conjunction with the approved study guide
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
corinnefielding
Reviews received
Content preview
Psychopathology PYC4802THEME 02
Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders – Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders
• Anhedonia (loss of experiencing pleasure)
• Dysphoria (a state of feeling sad, unwell or unhappy),
• Exposure to a traumatic or stressful event is listed as the major diagnostic criterion.
• Symptoms include fear or anxiety, anhedonic, dysphoric, aggressive or dissociative symptoms.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
A. Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one (or more) of the following ways:
1. Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s).
2. Witnessing in person the event(s) as it occurred to others.
3. Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or
threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or accidental.
4. Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders
collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse).
Note: Criterion A4 does not apply to exposure through media
B. Presence of one (or more) of the following intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after
the traumatic event(s) occurred:
1. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic events.
Note: In children older than 6 years’ repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the traumatic
event(s) are expressed
2. Recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/or effect of the dream are related to the traumatic
event(s).
Note: In children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content.
3. Dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event(s) were
recurring. (Such reactions may occur on a continuum, with the most extreme expression being a complete loss of
awareness of present surroundings.)
Note: In children, trauma-specific re-enactment may occur in play.
4. Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble
an aspect of the traumatic event(s).
5. Marked physiological reactions to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the
traumatic events.
C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s)
occurred, as evidenced by one or both of the following:
, 1. Avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the
traumatic event(s).
2. Avoidance of or efforts to avoid external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations)
that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s).
D. Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after the
traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:
1. Inability to remember an important aspect of the traumatic event(s) (typically due to dissociative amnesia and
not to other factors such as head injury, alcohol or drugs).
2. Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world (e.g., “I am bad,”
“No one can be trusted”, “The world is completely dangerous”, “My whole nervous system is permanently
ruined”).
3. Persistent, distorted cognitions about the cause or consequences of the traumatic event(s) that lead the
individual to blame himself/herself or others.
4. Persistent negative emotional state (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt or shame).
5. Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities.
6. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others.
7. Persistent inability to experience positive emotions (e.g., inability to experience happiness, satisfaction, or loving
feelings).
E. Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after the
traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:
1. Irritable behavior and angry outbursts (with little or no provocation) typically expressed as verbal or physical
aggression toward people or objects.
2. Reckless or self-destructive behavior.
3. Hypervigilance.
4. Exaggerated startle response.
5. Problems with concentration.
6. Sleep disturbance (e.g., difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless sleep).
F. Duration of the disturbance (Criteria B, C, D, and E) is more than 1 month.
G. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social occupational, or other important areas of
functioning.
H. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., medication, alcohol) or another
medical condition.
Specify whether:
With dissociative symptoms: The individual’s symptoms meet the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, and in
addition, in response to the stressor, the individual experiences persistent or recurrent symptoms of either of the
following:
1. Depersonalization: Persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from, as if one were an outside
observer of, one’s mental processes or body (e.g., feeling as though one were in a dream; feeling a sense of
, unreality of self or body or of time moving slowly.)
2. Derealization: Persistent or recurrent experiences of unreality of surroundings (e.g., the world around the
individual is experienced as unreal, dreamlike, distant, or distorted.)
Note: To use this subtype, the dissociative symptoms must not be attributable to the physiological effects of a substance
(e.g., blackouts, behavior during alcohol intoxication) or another medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures).
Specify if:
With delayed expression: If the full diagnostic criteria are not met until at least 6 months after the event (although the
onset and expression of some symptoms may be immediate).”
• A traumatic event could refer to direct or vicarious exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or
sexual violence.
• Traumatic events:
1. Natural disasters (e.g. floods)
2. Human-made' traumas such as interpersonal aggression (e.g. rape)
3. Accidents (e.g. a mining disaster)
4. May be found both in very rare (e.g. being taken hostage) and more common events (e.g. motor vehicle
accidents).
5. Medical procedures
• Research reports significant rates of PTSD found in fathers during the acute stage following a child’s diagnosis
with a chronic disease or unintentional injury.
• Psychological factors that play a role in the development and maintenance of PTSD: guilt, shame, grief, anxiety,
dysfunctional or distorted cognitions, and various cognitive, affective, and behavioural avoidance mechanisms,
which may interfere with the emotional processing of the traumatic event.
• Course is fluctuating, but recovery can be expected in the majority of cases.
• In a small proportion of cases, the condition may follow a chronic course over many years, with eventual
transition to an enduring personality change.
• Post-traumatic growth refers to subjective definitions of positive change that can result from exposure to major
life crises and trauma.
Challenges involved with diagnosis of PTSD
• Anxiety is part of human existence and it is often a normal adaptive and positive response.
• Anxiety can also serve as a drive that leads to functional behaviour, for example, preparing the body for the
fight-or-flight response.
• Making a psychological diagnosis when anxiety is evident is not always as clear- cut as theory would have us
believe.
• Anxiety features not only in the anxiety disorders, but in many other psychological disorders as well.
• For example:
, 1. PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) share many symptoms, suggesting that they are highly
correlated and that there may be a single, underlying PTSD-MDD symptom dimension.
2. In children the presence of separation anxiety is often a feature of a major depressive episode.
3. Substance-related disorders, especially Alcohol Use Disorder have a high correlation with anxiety.
• It is, however, not always clear which one of these abnormal behaviors was the cause and which the result.
• Another difficulty with identifying a disorder is that the symptoms of various disorders overlap.
• In trauma- and stressor-related disorders exposure to a traumatic or stressful event is listed as the major
diagnostic criterion. Anxiety, dissociation, or obsessive- compulsive responses may also be part of the
psychological distress response to experiencing a traumatic event.
• Anxiety and depression are commonly associated with the signs and symptoms of PTSD, and suicidal ideation is
common.
• Another issue worth addressing is the role of anxiety disorders, obsessive- compulsive and related disorders,
and dissociative disorders as possible aetiological factors in the development of ASD/PTSD. The aetiology and
manifestation of these disorders are closely related to the presence and role of anxiety, which can play a part in
the development of ASD/PTSD.
• The relationship between the anxiety disorders and other disorders in which anxiety features strongly and the
resultant difficulty in making a clear-cut diagnosis of ASD/PTSD based on the manifestation of symptoms
• Most people who experience a traumatic event will not go on to develop PTSD – Resilience, such as personality
factors, developmental factors, social support, and gender (believed to play a role in protection against
pathology and recovery).
• Certain people present with some PTSD symptoms, but find that these are manageable or that they resolve
spontaneously and these people continue to function normally.
• Discuss how peoples cultures influence the manifestation of disorders (refer to African and cultural perspective).
Acute Stress Disorder
• Acute Stress Disorder had the same symptoms as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ), but a shorter period of
time following the trauma was specified.
• Acute Stress Disorder would start immediately after the trauma, but the symptoms should persist for at least
three days and up to one month, but last no longer than four weeks (refer to diagnostic criteria for PTSD).
NOTE: ensure to change time frame if discussing this diagnostic criteria.
CROSS-CULTURAL AND AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES
• People’s cultures play an important role in the manifestation of anxiety symptoms, in their conceptualisation of
the phenomenon, and in whether or not it is considered problematic by them and those around them.
• Sex role socialisation may lead men and women to respond differently to symptoms of distress and to be either
more or less likely to report these.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller corinnefielding. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
77254 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now