THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ABNORMALITY: BIOMEDICAL AND PSYCHODYNAMIC LECTURE OUTLINE Theoretica l perspectives Biomedical theories Psychodynamic theories

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES What Is a Theory? way of viewing, interpreting, explaining psychological phenomena Why Are Theories Important? generates research that leads to new knowledge guides diagnostic decisions suggests treatment approaches

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES What Are the Levels of Theories? single factor theories (e.g., dopamine hypothesis for schizophrenia) interactionist theories consider multiple factors theories vary according to their level of explanation and levels of analysis

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES The Value of Theories not explanation or proof of an enduring truth integration of knowledge/understanding of a phenomenon prediction about phenomena not previously thought of specifies what evidence would deny the theory

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES Testing Theories: The Null Hypothesis studies don’t seek to prove theory, but rather reject or fail to reject the theory if the null hypothesis is rejected, then there is support, not proof, for the theory

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES The Search for Causes explain the origins of a disorder identify factors that maintain the behaviour or disorder predict the course of the disorder design effective treatments

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Roots – Hippocrates, general paresis, Kraeplin and classification The language – etiology, symptom, disorder, diagnosis, therapy, prognosis

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Central Nervous System – Areas of the Brain parts of the brain - hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain brain damage

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Central Nervous System Neurotransmission – chemical messengers that carry electrical activity from one neuron to the next; synapse – gap between 2 neurons

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Central Nervous System Neurotransmission - Monoamines Norepinephrine (NE) DopamineSerotonin Gama aminobutyric acid (GABA) Stress reactions, anxiety, depression SchizophreniaDepressionAnxiety

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Central Nervous System Dysfunctional behaviour can result from disturbances in neurotransmission in 4 different ways 1.too much or too little of a neurotransmitter is produced 2.Too much or too little of a neurotransmitter is deactivated in the synapse

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Central Nervous System Dysfunctional behaviour can result from disturbances in neurotransmission in 4 different ways 3.The reuptake process is defective 4. too many or too few receptors are available on the dendrite of the next cell

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Peripheral Nervous System Somatic nervous system – muscle control Autonomic nervous system (ANS) – which consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, which act in concert to maintain homeostatic balance

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Peripheral Nervous System Sympathetic nervous system – readies the body for action during stress Parasympathetic nervous system – shuts down non-essential functions Chronic overactive response of sympathetic system is related to anxiety disorders

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Endocrine System Hormones – chemical messengers released by various glands into the blood stream Dysfunctional behaviour may result from hormonal imbalances

BIOMEDICAL THEORIES Genetics Genetic research provides insights into whether certain disorders may be inherited Concordance rates among family members Research strategies – family studies, twin studies (MZ & DZ twin comparisons), adoption studies, genetic linkage studies (genetic markers for disorder)

BIOMEDICAL TREATMENTS ECT Drug treatments Antipsychotics Anxiolytics Antidepressants Lithium Stimulants

SUMMARY OF BIOMEDICAL THEORIES There is a wide variety of biomedical theories and factors regarding different disorders There is also a wide range in the role played by these factors in different disorders Biomedical factors are not the whole story, but the biomedical model is dominant in the mental health field

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES Roots – Freud and his followers Psychic structure – id, ego, superego Levels of consciousness – conscious, preconscious, unconscious How do psychological problems develop? Through disruptions of the psychosexual stages of development – oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital stages

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES Neurosis – Freud focused on anxiety- related disorders, including depression, formerly called the neuroses Anxiety – the core problem of the neuroses Types of anxiety – realistic, moral, neurotic

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES How do psychological problems develop? Through disruptions of the psychosexual stages of development – oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital stages How are psychological problems maintained? Through the individual’s use of defense mechanisms Defense mechanisms are ways of coping with anxiety aroused by life circumstances or events

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES Defense Mechanisms repression denial rationalization projection displacement reaction formation sublimation

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES Neo-Freudian theories Jung - collective unconscious Adler – inferiority complex Object relations theories Bowlby – attachment theory

PSYCHODYNAMIC TREATMENTS What psychodynamic treatment methods are used to treat psychological problems? free association dream analysis interpretation analysis of resistance transference and the problem of counter- transference

PSYCHODYNAMIC TREATMENTS More recent psychodynamic treatments brief and time-limited psychodynamic therapy – importance of therapeutic alliance ego analysis Adler – individual psychology Sullivan – interpersonal therapy

SUMMARY OF PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY first psychological theory of abnormality, particularly the intra-psychic level focus on early childhood roots of psychological problems focus on anxiety disorders and defense mechanisms focus on psychological treatment