University:
York University
Course:
HH/PSYC 3140 | Abnormal Psychology
Academic year:

2024
Views:

263

Pages:

3
Author:

Nick T.

An Integrative Approach to Psychopathology An Integrative Approach • "as each input becomes part of the whole it can no longer be considered independent.... because any one component of the system inevitably affects the other components" • Conceptual Systems: - biological - psychological - emotional - developmental The Case of Judy • Ile yo female presenting problem: increased episodes of fainting (5-10 x's a week) "Symptoms (lightheaded, queasy) Started 2 yrs ago, when watching video of frog being dissected in biology Class • Started avoiding blood or injury-related Situations (raw meat, band-aids) •fainting got attention from Classmates trying to help her principal suspended her after no medical cause was found; concluded sue was being "manipulative" One-dimensional vs. Multidimensional models One-dimensional model explains psychopathology in terms of a singe cause genes depression environment anxieng tendency to ignore information from other areas Multidimensional model: -draws upon information from several Sources to explain psychopathology "a System of different reciprocal influences (eg., biological, psychological) once part of the system, cannot be considered independently or out of content one Component of system inevitably affects other components multidimensional model: Judy's case. diagnosed with blood-injury-injection phobia - biological-vasovagal Syncope; innerived tendency to overcompensate for sudden increases in blood pressure behavioral - Conditioned response to sight of blood or similar Stimuli (generalized); avoidance of situations emotional and cognitive - increased fear and anxiety; "I will never get better" Social and cuttural-reaction from peers may reinforce benovior; Suspension from Principal may increase her distress Genetic Contributions • the nature of genes help determine but not absolute environment is a huge contributor as well •genes are long molecules of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); found in Chromosomes human development and behavior is often polygenic influenced by many genes genetic contribution to psychopathology - Explain less than 50% of disorder Interaction of Genetic and Environment • Eric Kandel: proposed that learning/environment can change genetic Structure of cells that were dormant or inactive • the diathesis-stress model both an inherited tendency (diathesis or vulnerability) and specific stressful Conditions are required to produce a disorder vulnerability does not necessarily lead to dlo, unless specific stressor Occurs ↳ the smaller the vulern... the greater the life stress required to Produce the dro the diathesis is genetically based and the stress is environmental but they must interact to produce a disorder • reciprocal gene-environment model genetically determined tendency. that triggered genetic vulnerabilities to create the environmental risk factors ex: depression-tendency to be attracted to negative relationships that lead to depression non-genomic inheritance of behavior genetic influence may be overemphasized - environmental influences may override genetics (rat Study)