#AP Psychology: Psychological Disorders - The Ultimate Study Guide 🧠

Hey! Let's get you totally prepped for the AP Psych exam. This guide is designed to be your go-to resource, especially the night before the test. We'll break down everything you need to know about psychological disorders, make it super easy to understand, and give you some killer strategies to ace those questions. Let's do this!

#Diagnostic Guidelines: The DSM-5 📖

#What is the DSM-5?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) is like the official rulebook for diagnosing mental disorders. It's published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and provides detailed criteria for each disorder. Think of it as the ultimate guide for clinicians.

#DSM Editions Over Time

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

#Challenges in Diagnosis

Even with the DSM-5, diagnosing can be tricky because symptoms can overlap between different disorders. It's not always a clear-cut process.

#What Makes Something a Disorder?

A psychological condition becomes a disorder when it significantly interferes with a person's daily life, schedule, and overall quality of living. These disorders affect cognition, emotion, or behavior, and they are maladaptive, meaning they disrupt rather than improve life.

#Major Categories of Disorders in the DSM-5

1. Depressive Disorders: Characterized by extreme sadness and loss of interest.
2. Bipolar Disorders: Involve both depressive and manic episodes.
3. Anxiety Disorders: Defined by excessive fear and worry.
4. Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: Involve obsessions and compulsions.
5. Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders: Result from traumatic or stressful events.
6. Dissociative Disorders: Involve disruptions in memory, identity, or consciousness.
7. Somatic Disorders: Focus on physical symptoms with psychological roots.
8. Eating Disorders: Characterized by abnormal eating patterns and body image issues.

#Historical Conceptions of Psychological Disorders

The way we understand mental illness has changed a lot over time. Here are the three main historical etiologies:

#1. Supernatural Etiology 💫

Believed that mental illness was caused by supernatural forces like possession, divine wrath, or astrological events.

• Trephination: An early practice involving drilling holes in the skull to release evil spirits. 👻

#2. Somatogenic Etiology 🕯️

Proposed by Hippocrates and Galen, this view suggests that mental illness has physiological causes.

• Humorism: The idea that imbalances in bodily fluids (blood, black bile, phlegm, and yellow bile) caused mental illness.
  • Bloodletting: Draining blood to correct imbalances.
  • Aromatherapy: Using scents to restore balance.

#3. Psychogenic Etiology 🧠

The most modern view, stating that mental illness has psychological rather than physical or supernatural roots. This is the dominant approach today.

Understanding the historical progression from supernatural to somatogenic and finally to psychogenic views is crucial for the exam.

#Psychological Conditions in Legal Settings 🛡️

#Confidentiality

Confidentiality laws protect patient information shared during therapy sessions. In the U.S., this can be broken if a patient is a danger to themselves or others. 🙊

#Insanity Plea ⚖️

An insanity plea or insanity defense is a legal claim that a defendant is not responsible for their actions due to a psychiatric episode.

#Final Exam Focus 🎯

• DSM-5: Know its purpose, how it's used, and the major categories of disorders.
• Historical Etiologies: Be able to differentiate between supernatural, somatogenic, and psychogenic views.
• Legal Aspects: Understand confidentiality and the insanity plea.
• Common Question Types: Expect multiple-choice questions on diagnostic criteria and free-response questions on the ethical considerations of diagnosis and treatment.

#Last-Minute Tips

• Time Management: Pace yourself, don't get stuck on one question.
• Common Pitfalls: Avoid overthinking simple questions.
• Strategies: When in doubt, go with the answer that best reflects the core concepts you've learned.

#Practice Questions

Practice Question

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following is the primary purpose of the DSM-5? (A) To provide a historical overview of psychological disorders. (B) To offer a standardized system for diagnosing mental disorders. (C) To outline the legal implications of mental illness. (D) To detail the effectiveness of various treatment methods. (E) To explain the supernatural causes of mental disorders.

2. The belief that mental illness is caused by imbalances in bodily fluids is associated with which historical perspective? (A) Supernatural etiology (B) Psychogenic etiology (C) Somatogenic etiology (D) Cognitive etiology (E) Behavioral etiology

3. A patient tells their therapist they are planning to harm someone. According to confidentiality laws, what is the therapist’s most appropriate course of action? (A) Maintain confidentiality at all costs. (B) Immediately contact law enforcement and the potential victim. (C) Discuss the situation with colleagues for advice. (D) Document the conversation but take no further action. (E) Encourage the patient to seek help without involving others.

#Free Response Question

A psychologist is evaluating a new patient who presents with symptoms of both extreme sadness and periods of elevated mood and energy. The patient also reports a history of erratic behavior and has recently been involved in a legal incident.

(a) Identify the primary diagnostic tool the psychologist would use to diagnose the patient. (1 point)

(b) Describe the key characteristics of the two main types of disorders that the patient’s symptoms suggest. (2 points)

(c) Explain how the historical perspectives of mental illness might view this patient's condition. (3 points)

(d) Discuss the ethical and legal considerations the psychologist must be aware of when treating this patient. (2 points)

#FRQ Scoring Breakdown

(a) Identify the primary diagnostic tool the psychologist would use to diagnose the patient. (1 point)

• 1 point: The psychologist would use the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition).

(b) Describe the key characteristics of the two main types of disorders that the patient’s symptoms suggest. (2 points)

• 1 point: The patient's symptoms suggest a depressive disorder, which is characterized by extreme sadness and loss of interest.
• 1 point: The patient's symptoms also suggest a bipolar disorder, which includes both depressive and manic episodes (periods of elevated mood and energy).

(c) Explain how the historical perspectives of mental illness might view this patient's condition. (3 points)

• 1 point: From a supernatural perspective, the patient's condition might be seen as a form of possession or divine punishment.
• 1 point: From a somatogenic perspective, the condition might be attributed to an imbalance of bodily fluids (humors) or other physiological causes.
• 1 point: From a psychogenic perspective, the condition would be viewed as stemming from psychological factors, such as unresolved trauma or cognitive distortions.

(d) Discuss the ethical and legal considerations the psychologist must be aware of when treating this patient. (2 points)

• 1 point: The psychologist must be aware of confidentiality laws, as they are obligated to protect the patient's information unless the patient poses a danger to themselves or others.
• 1 point: The psychologist must also be aware of the legal implications of the patient's erratic behavior and involvement in a legal incident, especially if an insanity plea is considered.

Memory Aid

Remember to connect the historical perspectives to how they would view the patient's condition.

You've got this! Keep reviewing, stay confident, and go crush that exam! 💪