10 Psych notes 9th week 03/05/2008 Wednesday
Psychological Disorders
Defining abnormal behavior Demonic possession Brain fag syndrome Running amok An American example: Multiple personality disorder The split personality syndrome dissociative identity There is alternation between 2 or more personalities Each has its own disposition, behavior and name, as if each were a separate person The bio-psychosocial model: There is a bio-psychosocial model to understand mental illness Biological roots include genetic factors, injury, diseases that result in imbalances or abnormalities o Psychological roots - An individual's life history and experiences contribute to ability to cope and degree of vulnerability to stress o Social and cultural context people are greatly influenced by how other people act toward them and the expectation people hold for them
o o o o o
Classifying Psychological Disorders The DSM- IV The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders Lists labels for all disorders Making distinctions between similar Diagnosis diagnoses is made along 5 axes Clinical disorders: involve deterioration of functioning AXEs 2 is reserved for personality disorders and mental retardation Psychotherapy Is a treatment of psychological disorders by methods that include an ongoing relationship between a trained and the client Schools of psychotherapy Psychoanalysis Humanistic therapy Carl Rogers
Behavior therapy Cognitive therapy Family systems therapy Eclectic therapy Brief therapy model Group therapy
Humanistic Therapy Most common one is person centered therapy (nondirective) Therapist listens to the client non-judgmentally and provides unconditional positive regard, an ideal state like the regard that a living parent has for a child. The therapist tries to be genuine, empathetic and caring, tries not to interpret the client's thoughts or feelings or offer advice. Deals with consciousness Sees people as essentially good Carl Rogers = founders of humanistic school Human is naturally good; people strive toward a state of self actualization.