PSYC 135: General Psychology II

1
PSYC 135General Psychology II

• Dr. Brett A. Steinberg
• Department of Psychology
• Room 172, W.A. Bousfield Hall
• Tel [phone] E-Mail brett.steinberg_at_ucon
  n.edu

2
Axis ISymptom Disorders
3
Overview of Topic

• 1) Mood disorders
• A) Depression and dysthymic disorder
• B) Bipolar disorder and cyclothymic disorder
• 2) Anxiety Disorders
• A) Phobias, panic disorder, and agoraphobia
• B) Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• C) Posttraumatic stress disorder
• 3) Schizophrenia

4
Depression

• Q What is depression?
• Major depressive episode Two or more weeks of
  either
• depressed mood or
• loss of interest or pleasure
• Causes distress and/or impairment
• True of all disorders

5
Depression (Cont.)

• Other symptoms
• 1) Sleep problems
• 2) Appetite change
• 3) Feelings of worthlessness
• 4) Poor concentration
• 5) Thoughts of death
• Dysthymic disorder Low-level depression for two
  or more years

6
Bipolar Disorder

• Manic episode One or more weeks of
• elevated mood or
• expansive mood or
• irritable mood
• Other symptoms
• 1) Reduced sleep
• 2) Racing thoughts

7
Bipolar Disorder (Cont.)

• 3) Increased goal-directed activity
• Example Starting new projects
• 4) Increased pleasurable activity
• Example Promiscuous sex unrestrained spending
• Bipolar disorder Manic episode with or without
  major depressive episode
• Cyclothymic disorder Hypomanic episode
• No impairment in functioning

8
Bipolar Disorder (Cont.)

• Starts earlier than depression (early 20s)
• Equal in men and women (unlike depression)
• Less common than depression (1 vs. 25)
• Biologic cause and genetic influence

9
Sample Test Question

• Donald is a 35-year-old man who has experienced
  mild depressive symptoms for as long as he can
  remember. Which of the following disorders does
  he most likely have?
• a) major depressive disorder
• b) dysthymic disorder
• c) bipolar disorder
• d) cyclothymic disorder

10
Anxiety

• Q What is anxiety?
• Definition Reaction to perceived threat. Three
  elements
• 1) Somatic Sympathetic and parasympathetic
  systems
• 2) Cognitive Preoccupation with stimuli and/or
  reactions
• 3) Behavioral Fight, flight (freezing, fainting)
• Anxiety Disorders Inappropriate anxiety and
  avoidance
• Differences depend upon focus of anxiety

11
Phobias

• Definition Persistent fears and avoidance of
  stimuli
• Simple phobia Specific objects and/or situations
• Social phobia Situations that involve evaluation
  and possible embarrassment
• Start in late childhood or adolescence

12
Phobias (Cont.)

• Causes
• Psychodynamic Phobic stimuli symbolize conflicts
• Cognitive-behavioral Classical conditions
  (learning) and operant conditioning (ongoing
  avoidance)
• Observational learning may also be important
• Biologic Overly active limbic system and
  autonomic nervous system

13
Panic Disorder

• Definition Multiple unexpected panic attacks,
  with one month of
• concern about more attacks or
• worry about meaning of attacks or
• change in behavior related to attacks
• Agoraphobia Anxiety about situations in which
• escape is difficult or embarrassing or
• help is unavailable

14
Panic Disorder (Cont.)

• Situations are avoided
• Most extreme is unwillingness to leave home

15
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Definition OCD involves
• obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and
• compulsions (repetitive responses to obsessions)
• Distressing and/or time-consuming
• Usually begins in adolescence
• Mild forms are relatively common (few percent)

16
OCD (Cont.)

• Causes
• Psychodynamic Unacceptable aggressive and sexual
  impulses
• Compulsions may be symbolic
• Cognitive-behavioral Maladaptive thoughts (e.g.
  perfectionism) and strategies for coping with
  anxiety
• Biologic Abnormal basal ganglia

17
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Definition PTSD is reaction to event involving
  threat of death or serious injury to self or
  others typically outside range of usual human
  experience
• Examples Assault combat natural disaster
• TRAP Model
• Trauma The event
• Reexperiencing Recurring thoughts
• Avoidance Thoughts and places
• Persistent arousal Startle poor sleep
  irritability

18
PTSD (Cont.)

• Causes
• Cognitive-behavioral
• 1) Operant conditioning (avoidance)
• 2) Maladaptive cognitions (e.g. survivors
  guilt)
• 3) Inadequate coping skills
• Biologic Changes in HPA system
• Exhaustion (GAS syndrome)
• Stronger encoding of memories

19
Sample Test Question

• According to the TRAP model of PTSD, what does
  R stand for?
• a) repression
• b) resolution
• c) retaliation
• d) reexperiencing

20
Schizophrenia

• Definition Characteristic signs and symptoms for
  much of one month, with some in prior six months
• Psychosis Loss of contact with reality
• 1) Delusions Fixed (incorrect) beliefs
• 2) Hallucinations Sensory experiences without
  stimuli
• Thought disorder Difficulty linking ideas
  logically

21
Schizophrenia (Cont.)

• Two types of symptoms
• 1) Positive Increase or distortion of normal
  functions
• Examples Psychosis and thought disorder
• 2) Negative Decrease or loss of normal functions
• Examples Flattened affect, social withdrawal,
  and poor motivation

22
Schizophrenia (Cont.)

• Causes
• Primary causes believed to be biologic
• Excess dopamine
• Cognitive problems (e.g. poor concentration and
  problem-solving)
• May be triggered by environmental stress
• Poor coping skills related to ongoing problems

23
Sample Test Question

• Which of the following is not currently believed
  to be related to the development of
  schizophrenia?
• a) too much dopamine in the brain
• b) environmental stress
• c) large ventricles in the brain
• d) communication problems between patients and
  their parents