Abnormal Psychology — AI Study Guide

Mastering Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology is the systematic study of atypical patterns of behavior, emotion, and thought that cause distress or impairment. The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) organizes psychological disorders into diagnostic categories with specific criteria specifying required symptoms, duration, and functional impairment. Each diagnosis also requires ruling out medical causes and substance use as alternative explanations.

Mood disorders include major depressive disorder (persistent low mood, anhedonia, plus associated symptoms for 2+ weeks), persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia, chronic lower-level depression for 2+ years), bipolar I (manic episodes, with or without depression), bipolar II (hypomania plus major depression), and cyclothymia. The distinction between unipolar and bipolar depression is critical because antidepressants alone can precipitate mania in bipolar disorder.

Anxiety disorders share excessive fear and avoidance of perceived threats. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves persistent, uncontrollable worry across multiple domains. Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks plus fear of future attacks. Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear of social evaluation. Specific phobia involves fear of specific objects or situations. OCD (now a separate category) involves intrusive obsessions and compulsive rituals. All respond to CBT and often SSRI/SNRI treatment.

Psychotic disorders are characterized by positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and behavior) and negative symptoms (flat affect, alogia, anhedonia, avolition, asociality). Schizophrenia requires 6+ months of symptoms including at least one positive symptom. Brief psychotic disorder (<1 month), schizophreniform disorder (1-6 months), and schizoaffective disorder (psychosis plus mood episode) are on the schizophrenia spectrum. Antipsychotic medications (D2 blockers) reduce positive symptoms; negative symptoms are harder to treat.

Frequently Asked Questions: Abnormal Psychology

What is the difference between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder?

Major depressive disorder (MDD) requires 5+ symptoms for 2+ weeks, including either depressed mood or anhedonia. It can be a single episode or recurrent. Persistent depressive disorder (previously dysthymia) requires depressed mood for most of the day, more days than not, for 2+ years, with at least 2 additional symptoms. PDD symptoms are typically less severe than MDD but longer lasting. 'Double depression' (MDD episode superimposed on PDD) is common.

What are positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

Positive symptoms represent excesses of normal functioning (things present that shouldn't be): hallucinations (usually auditory — hearing voices), delusions (false fixed beliefs — paranoid, grandiose, referential), disorganized speech (loose associations, word salad, clang associations), and disorganized or catatonic behavior. Negative symptoms represent deficits of normal functioning: flat affect (reduced emotional expression), alogia (poverty of speech), avolition (reduced motivation), anhedonia (reduced pleasure), and asociality (reduced social engagement).

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