Concepts Of Mental Health And Mental Illness Spring 2010

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Abnormality

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a subjectively defined characteristic, assigned to those with rare or dysfunctional conditions

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Mental Illness

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*double-check with Prof Levy
a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individial and that is associated with present distress (e.g., a painful symptom) or a disability (e.g., impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. --DSM-IV pg xxxi

A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture.--wikipedia

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Psychopathology 1

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-The manifestations of mental disorders and
-The study of mental disorders and their problems, causes, and processes.

Psychopathology involves impairments, deviance, and distress, but having impairments, deviance, or distress does not mean that you are psychopathological

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Psychopathology 2

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The study of abnormal behavior in order to:
-Describe = Diagnosis
-Predict = Prognosis
-Explain = Etiology
-Change = Treatment
Abnormal patterns of functioning

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Diagnosis

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from greek 'dia' or from, and 'gnosis' or knowledge.

The process of identifying a disease by its signs, symptoms and results of various diagnostic procedures.

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Principal Diagnosis

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When one or more Dx is given in inpatient setting, the principal Dx is the condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for occasioning the admission of the individual.

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Provisional Diagnosis

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used when there is a strong presumption that the full criteria will not be met for a disorder and there is not enough info to make a diagnosis.

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Signs

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can be observed and documented objectively

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Symptoms

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are experienced subjectively. Cannot be observed and must be reported by the client.
-does not constitute a mental disorder...it must be a part of a symptom constellation.

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Syndrome

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any cluster or constellation of signs and symptoms.
-depressed mood is symptom, crying is sign
-chest pain is symptom, heart failure is sign.

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Descriptive Approach to Dx

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Focuses on the 'what' of the behavior

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Psychological Approach to Dx

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Focuses on the 'why' of the behavior

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Reliability of Dx

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The more clinicians that agree on a Dx when examining the same patient = greater inter-rater reliability.

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Validity of Dx

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More patients with the same Dx have similar clinical features, natural histories, etiologies, pathogenesis, and responses to Tx = High Validity

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Co-Morbidity/ Co-Occurring

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Existing simultaneously with, and usually independently of, another medical condition.

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Etiology

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The study of causes or origins

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Prevalence

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Total # of cases of a disease in a given population at a specific time.

( f/e 17% of americans suffer from panic attacks)

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Assessment

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A time limited, formal process that collects clinical information from many sources in order to reach a diagnosis, to make a prognosis, to render a biopsychosocial formulation, and to determine treatment.

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Assessment- Primary Goal

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To obtain information that iwll determine the clients Dx, prognosis, psychodynamics, and Tx.

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Assessment- Secondary Goal

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To make the client feel comfortable, foster trust, develop a sense of hope, begin the therapeutic alliance.

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Mood

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a Pervasive and subjectively experienced feeling state (must be reported by individual)
Covert

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Affect

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The Instantaneous, observable expression of emotion.
Overt

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Multiaxial System

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An Assessment on several (5) axes, each of which refers to a different domain of information that may help a clinician plan Tx and predict outcome.

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Recurrence

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When a previously Dx-ed person has a period of time in which criteria are no longer met begins to re-develop symptoms that suggest return of disorder.
i)May be Dx-ed before full criteria are met, if judged to be recurrence.
ii) If symptoms are judged to be clinically significant but, it is not clear if constitutes a recurrence of original disorder, NOS may be given.
iii) If symptoms are not clinically significant, no additional current or provisional Dx is given, but 'prior history' may be noted.

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Not Otherwise Specified (NOS)

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-Client meets a symptom pattern that is not in the DSM-IV but causes clinically significant impairment.
-Client meets the general guidelines but symptoms do not meet the criteria for any of the specifiers.
-Uncertain about etiology (GMC, substance induced, primary).
-Insufficient time/info.
-Contradictory info.

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Boundary

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* check with Prof Levy

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Impairment

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*check with Prof Levy
Weakening, damage, or deterioration, especially as a result of injury or disease.

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Diathesis Stress Model

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Genetic or biological predispositions (diathesis) + environmental factors (stress) = abnormal behavior

Support structure and Coping skills (or lack thereof) can effect susceptibility to mental illness.