Psychological

Disorders

Anxiety
Disorders,
Depressive
Disorders, and
Schizophrenia
(Psychotic
Disorders)

© Worth Publishers
What we’ll seek to
understand...
! What does it mean to have a mental
disorder?
! Defining and classifying disorders
! Anxiety disorders, including OCD
and PTSD
! Mood disorders, including
depression and bipolar disorder
! Schizophrenia
! Sample of other disorders:
! Dissociative disorders
! Eating disorders
! Personality disorders
! Rates, vulnerability, and protective
factors
Why Learn about Psychological
Disorders?
Reasons for curiosity:
!personal familiarity with
psychological symptoms
!knowing someone else
with the disorder
!hearing about how
prevalent and socially
devastating some
disorders have become
in society
!wanting to learn more
about mental health and
human nature
Perspectives on Psychological
Disorders
! Defining psychological Questions to Keep in Mind
disorders
! Thinking critically about How do we decide when a set of
ADHD symptoms are severe enough to
! Understanding be called a disorder that needs
psychological disorders treatment?
! Classifying
psychological disorders Can we define specific disorders
clearly enough so that we can
! Labeling psychological know that we’re all referring to the
disorders same behavior/mental state?
! Insanity and
responsibility Can we use our diagnostic labels
to guide treatment rather than to
stigmatize people?
Psychological disorders are:
patterns of thoughts, feelings, or
actions that are deviant, distressful,
and dysfunctional.

Terms from the Definition

! Disorder refers to a state of mental/
behavioral ill health.
! Patterns refers to finding a collection
of symptoms that tend to go together,
and not just seeing a single symptom.
! For there to be distress and
dysfunction, symptoms must be
sufficiently severe to interfere with
one’s daily life and well being.
! Deviant means differing from the
norm.
 Defining Deviance:
“Deviant”? The Role of Context and
Culture
! To deviate, in !Context: whether a behavior
general, means to varies from expectation
vary from what depends on the situation in
which the behavior occurs
typically would "Yelling for hours is not
happen. deviant when it happens at a
! In psychology, a football game.
behavior or mental !Culture: these painted faces
state is considered might seem deviant when
deviant by a culture viewed from a different culture
when it is different
from what would be
expected in that
culture.
! A disorder may also
be a deviation from a
typical developmental
pathway.
 Is Attention-Deficit/
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
a disorder?
! Is it deviant? Do some people have a level of
inattentiveness, impulsiveness, or restlessness
that goes beyond laziness or immaturity?
! Is it distressful? Is the person enjoying being
energetic, or are they frustrated that they can’t
sustain focus?
! Is there dysfunction? Are the symptoms
harmless fun, or do they negatively impact work
and relationships?
Understanding the Nature of
Psychological Disorders
! One reason to diagnose a disorder is to make
decisions about treating the problem.
! To treat a disorder, it helps to understand the
nature/cause of the psychological symptoms.
! Based on older understanding
of psychological disorders,
treatments have included:
exorcising evil spirits,
beatings, caging/restraint,
and
 Pinel’s New
Approach
From the humane
! Philippe Pinel (1745-1826) and others view to the scientific
sought to reform brutal treatment by view of the mentally
promoting a new understanding of the nature ill:
of mental disorders. Pinel’s humane
! Pinel proposed that mental disorders were environmental
not caused by demonic possession, but by interventions improved
environmental factors such as stress and lives but often did not
inhumane conditions. effectively treat mental
! Pinel’s “moral treatment” involved improving illness
the environment and replacing the asylum But
beatings with patient dances. then…
 The discovery that the disease
The Medical of syphilis causes mental
symptoms (by infecting the
Model brain) suggested a medical
model for mental illness.

! Psychological disorders can

be seen as
psychopathology, an
illness of the mind.
! Disorders can be
diagnosed, labeled as a
collection of symptoms that
tend to go together.
! People with disorders can
be treated, attended to,
given therapy, all with a
goal of restoring mental
health.
 The Biopsychosocial Approach

Mental disorders
can arise in the
interaction
between nature
and nurture
caused by biology,
thoughts, and the
sociocultural
environment.
Cultural Influences on Disorders
Culture-bound syndromes are
disorders which only seem to
exist within certain cultures;
they demonstrate how culture
can play a role in both causing
and defining a disorder.

Examples:
Bulimia Nervosa: binging/purging, in the United
States
Running amok: violent outbursts, in Malaysia
Hikikomori: social withdrawal, in Japan
Classifying Psychological
Disorders
The Diagnostic and
Why create Statistical Manual
classifications of mental
illness? What is the !It’s easier to count
value of talking about cases of autism if we
diagnoses instead of have a clear
just talking about definition.
individuals? !Versions: DSM-IV-
1.Diagnoses create a TR, latest version
verbal shorthand for DSM-5 (May 2013)
referring to a list of !The DSM is used to
associated symptoms. justify payment for
treatment.
2.Diagnoses allow us to
statistically study many !It’s consistent with
similar cases, learning diagnoses used by
to predict outcomes. medical doctors
worldwide.
3.Diagnoses can guide
treatment choices.
Categories of
Diagnoses
Critiques of Diagnosing with the
DSM
1. The DSM calls too many people
“disordered.”
2. The border between diagnoses, or
between disorder and normal, seems
arbitrary.
3. Decisions about what is a disorder
seem to include value judgments; is
depression necessarily deviant?
4. Diagnostic labels direct how we view
and interpret the world, telling us
which behavior and mental states to
see as disordered.
Stigma and Stereotypes
Many people think a diagnostic
label means being seen as
tainted, weak, and weird.
Because of this, many
psychologists believe we should
use extreme caution in
diagnosing and labeling.
However:
!these negative views/stigma
come from popular cultural views
of mental illness, and not from
the DSM. [Does a diabetes
diagnosis create stigma? No.
Bipolar diagnosis? Yes.]
!the DSM may contain the
information to correct inaccurate
perceptions of mental illness.
Insanity and Responsibility
! Jared Loughner shot many
people, including a U.S.
Representative, in 2011.
! Loughner had
schizophrenia and
substance abuse problems,
a combination associated
with increased violence.
To what degree, if any,
should he be held
responsible for his
actions?
What is the appropriate
consequence?
Anxiety Disorders
GAD: Generalized anxiety
disorder

Panic disorder

Phobias

OCD: Obsessive-compulsive
disorder
PTSD: Post-traumatic stress
disorder
 GAD: Generalized
Anxiety Disorder
! Emotional-cognitive
symptoms include
worrying, having anxious
feelings and thoughts
about many subjects,
and sometimes “free-
floating” anxiety with no
attachment to any
subject. Anxious
anticipation interferes
with concentration.
! Physical symptoms
include autonomic
arousal, trembling,
sweating, fidgeting,
agitation, and sleep
disruption.
Panic Disorder:
“I’m Dying”
A panic attack is not just an
“anxiety attack.” It may include:
!many minutes of intense dread or
terror.
!chest pains, choking, numbness,
or other frightening physical
sensations. Patients may feel
certain that it’s a heart attack.
!a feeling of a need to escape.
Panic disorder refers to repeated
and unexpected panic attacks, as
well as a fear of the next attack,
and a change in behavior to avoid
panic attacks.
Specific Phobia
A specific phobia is more than
just a strong fear or dislike. A
specific phobia is diagnosed
when there is an
uncontrollable, irrational,
intense desire to avoid the
some object or situation.
Even an image of the object
can trigger a reaction--“GET IT
AWAY FROM ME!!!”--the
uncontrollable, irrational,
intense desire to avoid the
object of the phobia.
 Some Fears and Phobias
What trends are
evident here?
Which varies
more, fear or
phobias? What
does this imply?

Some Other Phobias

Agoraphobia is the Social phobia refers to an
avoidance of situations in intense fear of being watched
which one will fear having and judged by others. It is visible
a panic attack, especially as a fear of public appearances
a situation in which it is in which embarrassment or
difficult to get help, and humiliation is possible, such as
from which it difficult to public speaking, eating, or
escape. performing.
 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder [OCD]
! Obsessions are intense, unwanted
worries, ideas, and images that
repeatedly pop up in the mind.
! A compulsion is a repeatedly
strong feeling of “needing” to carry
out an action, even though it doesn’t
feel like it makes sense.
! When is it a “disorder”?
! Distress: when you are deeply
frustrated with not being able to
control the behaviors
or
! Dysfunction: when the time and
mental energy spent on these
thoughts and behaviors interfere
with everyday life
 Common OCD Behaviors
Percentage of children and adolescents with OCD
reporting these obsessions or compulsions:

Common pattern: RECHECKING

Although you know that you’ve
already made sure the door is
locked, you feel you must check
again. And again.
 Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder
[PTSD]
About 10 to 35 percent of
people who experience trauma
not only have burned-in
memories, but also four weeks
to a lifetime of:
! repeated intrusive recall of
those memories.
! nightmares and other re-
experiencing.
! social withdrawal or phobic
avoidance.
! jumpy anxiety or
hypervigilance.
! insomnia or sleep problems.
 Resilience and
Which People get Post-Traumatic
Growth
!
PTSD?
Those with less control in the Resilience/recovery
situation after trauma may
include:
! Those traumatized more
frequently !some lingering, but
not overwhelming,
! Those with brain differences stress.
! Those who have less resiliency !finding strengths in
! Those who get re-traumatized yourself.
!finding connection
with others.
!finding hope.
!seeing the trauma
as a challenge that
can be overcome.
!seeing yourself as
a survivor.
 Understanding Anxiety Disorders:
Explanations from Different Perspectives

Psychodynami Classical Operant

c/ conditioning: conditioning:
Freudian: overgeneralizin rewarding
repressed g a conditioned avoidance
impulses response

Observational Cognitive Evolutionary:

learning: appraisals: surviving by
worrying like uncertainty is avoiding danger
mom danger
 Understanding Anxiety
Disorders: Freudian/
Psychodynamic Perspective
! Sigmund Freud felt that
anxiety stems from
repressed childhood
impulses, socially
inappropriate desires,
and emotional conflicts.
! We repress/bury these
issues in the
unconscious mind, but
they still come up, as
anxiety.
 Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning
and Anxiety and Anxiety
! In the experiment by John B. ! We may feel anxious in a
Watson and Rosalie Rayner in situation and make a
1920, Little Albert learned to feel decision to leave. This
fear around a rabbit because he makes us feel better and our
had been conditioned to associate anxious avoidance was just
the bunny with a loud scary noise. reinforced.
! Sometimes, such a conditioned ! If we know we have locked a
response becomes door but feel anxious and
overgeneralized. We may begin to compelled to re-check,
fear all animals, everything fluffy, rechecking will help us
and any location where we had temporarily feel better.
seen those, or even fear that those ! The result is an increase in
items could appear soon along with anxious thoughts and
the noise. behaviors.
! The result is a phobia or
generalized anxiety.
 Observational
Learning and
Anxiety
! Experiments with humans
and monkeys show that
anxiety can be acquired
through observational
learning. If you see
someone else avoiding or
fearing some object or
creature, you might pick up
that fear and adopt it even
after the original scared
person is not around.
! In this way, fears get
passed down in families.
 Cognition and
Anxiety
! Cognition includes worried
thoughts, as well as
interpretations, appraisals,
beliefs, predictions, and
ruminations.
! Cognition includes mental
habits such as
hypervigilance (persistently
watching out for danger). This
accompanies anxiety in
PTSD.
! In anxiety disorders, such
cognitions appear
repeatedly and make
anxiety worse.
Examples of Cognitions that
can Worsen Anxiety:
Cognitive errors, such as believing that
we can predict that bad events will
happen

Irrational beliefs, such as “bad things

don’t happen to good people, so if I was
hurt, I must be bad”

Mistaken appraisals, such as seeing

aches as diseases, noises as dangers,
and strangers as threats
Misinterpretations of facial expressions
and actions of others, such as thinking
“they’re talking about me”
 Biology and Anxiety:
An Evolutionary Perspective
1. Human phobic 2. Similar but non-phobic
objects: Snakes objects: Fish
Heights Low places
Closed spaces Open spaces
Darkness Bright light
3. Dangerous yet non-phobic subjects:
We are likely to become cautious about, but not phobic
about: Guns, Electric wiring, Cars
! Evolutionary psychologists believe that
ancestors prone to fear the items on list #1 were
less likely to die before reproducing.
! There has not been time for the innate fear of list
#3 (the gun list) to spread in the population.
Biology and Anxiety: Genes
Genes and
! Studies show that Neurotransmitters
identical twins, even !Genes regulate levels of
raised separately, neurotransmitters.
develop similar !People with anxiety have
phobias (more problems with a gene
similar than two associated with levels of
unrelated people). serotonin, a neurotransmitter
! Some people seem involved in regulating sleep
to have an inborn and mood.
high-strung !People with anxiety also
temperament, while have a gene that triggers high
others are more levels of glutamate, an
easygoing. excitatory neurotransmitter
! Temperament may involved in the brain’s alarm
be encoded in our centers.
genes.
 Biology and Anxiety: The
Brain
! Traumatic
experiences can
burn fear circuits
into the amygdala;
these circuits are
later triggered and
activated.
! Anxiety disorders
include overarousal
of brain areas
involved in impulse
control and habitual The OCD brain shows extra
behaviors. activity in the ACC, which
monitors our actions and
checks for errors.
ACC = anterior cingulate gyrus
Mood Disorders
Major depressive disorder [MDD]
is:
! more than just feeling
“down.”
! more than just feeling sad
about something.

Bipolar disorder is:

! more than “mood swings.”
! depression plus the problematic
overly “up” mood called “mania.”
Criteria of Major Depressive Disorders
Major depressive disorder is not just one of these
symptoms.
It is one or both of the first two, PLUS three or more
of the rest.
! Depressed mood most of the day, and/or
! Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in activities
! Significant increase or decrease in appetite or weight
! Insomnia, sleeping too much, or disrupted sleep
! Lethargy, or physical agitation
! Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
! Worthlessness, or excessive/inappropriate guilt
! Daily problems in thinking, concentrating, and/or making
decisions
! Recurring thoughts of death and suicide
 Major Depression:
Not Just a Depressive Reaction
! Some people make an
unfair criticism of
themselves or others with
major depression: “There
is nothing to be depressed
about.”
! If someone with asthma
has an attack, do we say,
“what do you have to be
gasping about?”
! It is bad enough to have
MDD that persists even
under “good”
circumstances. Don’t add
criticism by implying the
depression is an
exaggerated response.
Depression is Everywhere
Depression shows up in
people seeking treatment:
Depression: The “Common
!Phobias are the most Cold” of Disorders?
common (frequently
experienced) disorder, but Although both are
depression is the #1 reason “common” (occurring frequently and
people seek mental health pervasively), comparing depression
services. to a cold doesn’t work.
Depression appears Depression:
worldwide: !is more dangerous because of
!Per year, depressive suicide risk.
episodes happen to about 6 !has fewer observable symptoms.
percent of men and about 9 !is more lasting than a cold, and is
percent of women. less likely to go away just with time.
!Over the course of a !is much less contagious.
lifetime, 12 percent of And…depressive pain is beyond
Canadians and 17 percent of sniffles.
Americans experience
depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder [SAD]
! Seasonal affective disorder is more than
simply disliking winter.
! Seasonal affective disorder involves a recurring
seasonal pattern of depression, usually during
winter’s short, dark, cold days.
! Survey: “Have you cried today”? Result: More
people answer “yes” in winter.

Percentage who cried

Men Women
August 4 7
December 8 21
 Bipolar Disorder
! Bipolar disorder was once Mania refers to a period of
called “manic-depressive hyper-elevated mood that is
disorder.” euphoric, giddy, easily
! Bipolar disorder’s two polar irritated, hyperactive,
opposite moods are impulsive, overly optimistic,
depression and mania. and even grandiose.
Contrasting Symptoms
Depressed mood: stuck Mania: euphoric, giddy, easily
feeling “down,” with: irritated, with:
! exaggerated pessimism ! exaggerated optimism
! social withdrawal ! hypersociality and sexuality
! lack of felt pleasure ! delight in everything
! inactivity and no initiative ! impulsivity and overactivity
! difficulty focusing ! racing thoughts; the mind
! fatigue and excessive desire won’t settle down
to sleep ! little desire for sleep
 Bipolar Disorder and Creative Success
Many famous and successful people have lived with
the ups and downs of bipolar disorder. Some
speculate that the depressive periods gave them
ideas, and the manic episodes gave them creative
energy. Any evidence of mood swings here?
Bipolar Disorder in Children and
Adolescents
! Does bipolar disorder
show up before
adulthood, and even
before puberty?
! Many young people
have cycles from
depression to
extended rage rather
than mania.
! The DSM-5 has a new
diagnosis for these
kids: disruptive mood
dysregulation
disorder.
 Understanding Mood
Disorders
Why are mood disorders so
pervasive, and more common
among the young, and especially
among women?
Why Does Depression Have
so Many Symptoms?
 Understanding Mood
Disorders
Can we explain…
! why does depression often
go away on its own?
! the course/development of
reactive depression?
Often, time heals a mood
disorder, especially when
the mood issue is in
reaction to a stressful event.
However, a significant
proportion of people with
major depressive disorder
do not automatically or
easily get better with time.
Suicide and Self-Injury
! Every year, 1 million people commit suicide,
giving up on the process of trying to cope and
improve their emotional well-being.
! This can happen when people feel frustrated,
trapped, isolated, ineffective, and see no end to
these feelings.
! Non-suicidal self-injury has other functions
such as sending a message, or self-punishment.
Understanding Mood Disorders

Evolutionary
Biological aspects
and explanations Genetic
Brain /Body

Negative thoughts and

Social-cognitive negative mood
aspects and Explanatory style
explanations
The vicious cycle
An Evolutionary Perspective on
the Biology of Depression
! Depression, in its milder,
non-disordered form, may
have had survival value.
! Under stress, depression is
social-emotional
hibernation. It allows
humans to:
! conserve energy.
! avoid conflicts and other
risks.
! let go of unattainable
goals.
! take time to contemplate.
Biology of Depression: Genetics
Evidence of genetic influence on depression:
1.DNA linkage analysis reveals depressed gene regions
2.twin/adoption heritability studies
Biology of Depression: The
Brain
! Brain activity is diminished in depression and
increased in mania.
! Brain structure: smaller frontal lobes in depression and
fewer axons in bipolar disorder
! Brain cell communication (neurotransmitters):
! more norepinephrine (arousing) in mania, less in
depression
! reduced serotonin in depression
 Preventing or Reducing Depression:
Using Knowledge of the Biology of
Depression
1. Adjust
neurotransmitters
with medication.
2. Increase serotonin
levels with exercise.
3. Reduce brain
inflammation with a
healthy diet
(especially olive and
fish oils).
4. Prevent excessive
alcohol use .
 Understanding Mood Disorders: The Social-
Cognitive Perspective
Discounting positive
information and assuming
the worst about self,
Low Self- situation, and the future Self-defeating
Esteem beliefs such as
assuming that
Learned one (self) is
Helplessness unable to cope,
improve,
achieve, or be
Depression is happy
associated with:
Depressive
Explanatory
Style
Rumination
Stuck focusing on
what’s bad
 Depressive Explanatory Style
How we analyze bad news predicts mood.
Problematic event:

Assumptions about
the problem

The problem is:

The problem is:

The problem is:

Mood/result that
goes along with
these views:
 Depression’s Vicious Cycle
A depressed mood may develop when a person
with a negative outlook experiences repeated
stress.

The depressed
mood changes
a person’s
style of
thinking and
interacting in a
way that
makes
stressful
experience
more likely.
 the mind is split from reality, e.g. a
split from one’s own thoughts so
Schizophrenia: that they appear as hallucinations.

Psychosis
refers to a
mental split Schizophrenia
from reality symptoms
and rationality. include:
!disorganized
and/or delusional
thinking.
!disturbed
perceptions.
!inappropriate
emotions and
actions.
Positive and Negative
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Positive + Negative -
presence of absence of
problematic healthy
behaviors behaviors

! Hallucinations (illusory ! Flat affect (no emotion

perceptions), especially showing in the face)
auditory ! Reduced social interaction
! Delusions (illusory beliefs), ! Anhedonia (no feeling of
especially persecutory enjoyment)
! Disorganized thought and ! Avolition (less motivation,
nonsensical speech initiative, focus on tasks)
! Bizarre behaviors ! Alogia (speaking less)
! Catatonia (moving less)
Schizophrenia Symptoms:
Problems in Thinking and Speaking
! Disorganized speech,
including the “word ?!?!
salad” of loosely
associated phrases
! Delusions (illusory ?!?!
beliefs), often bizarre
and not just mistaken;
most common are
delusions of grandeur
and of persecution
! Problems with
selective attention,
difficulty filtering thoughts
and choosing which
thoughts to believe and
to say out loud
Schizophrenia Symptoms:
Disturbed Perceptions You’re
Am I evil!
! People with schizophrenia
often experience evil?
hallucinations, that is,
perceptual experiences not
shared by others.
! The most common form of
hallucination is hearing voices
that no one else hears, often
with upsetting (e.g. shaming)
content.
! Hallucinations can also be
visual, olfactory/smells, tactile/
touch, or gustatory/taste.
Schizophrenia Symptoms:
Inappropriate Emotions
! Odd and socially inappropriate
responses such as looking
bored or amused while
hearing of a death
! Flat affect: facial/body
expression is “flat” with no
visible emotional content
! Impaired perception of
emotions, including not
“reading” others’ intentions
and feelings
Schizophrenia Symptoms:
Inappropriate Actions/Behavior
Odd and socially inappropriate
behavior can be caused by
symptoms such as:
!errors in social perception.
!disorganized, unfiltered thinking.
!delusions and hallucinations.

The schizophrenic body exhibits

symptoms such as:
!repetitive behaviors such as
rocking and rubbing.
!catatonia, such as sitting
motionless and unresponsive for
hours.
Onset and Course of
Development of Schizophrenia
Acute/Reactive
Schizophrenia Schizophrenia In reaction to
stress, some people develop
! Onset: Typically, positive symptoms such as
schizophrenic symptoms hallucinations.
appear at the end of – Recovery is likely.
adolescence and in early Chronic/Process
adulthood, later for Schizophrenia develops slowly, with
women than for men. more negative symptoms such as flat
! Prevalence: Nearly 1 in affect and social withdrawal.
100 people develop – With treatment and support,
schizophrenia, slightly there may be periods of a
more men than women. normal life, but not a cure.
! Development: The – Without treatment, this type of
course of schizophrenia schizophrenia often leads to
can be acute/reactive or poverty and social problems.
chronic.
Subtypes of Schizophrenia
Paranoid
• Plagued by hallucinations, often with negative
messages, and delusions, both grandiose and
persecutory
Disorganized
• Primary symptoms are flat affect, incoherent
speech, and random behavior
Catatonic
• Rarely initiating or controlling movement; copies
others’ speech and actions
Undifferentiated
• Many varied symptoms
Residual
• Withdrawal continues after positive symptoms
have disappeared
Understanding Schizophrenia
What’s going on Abnormal brain
in the brain in structure and
schizophrenia? activity
! Too many dopamine/D4 receptors
help to explain paranoia and
hallucinations; it’s like taking
amphetamine overdoses all the time.
! Poor coordination of neural firing in
the frontal lobes impairs judgment
and self-control.
! The thalamus fires during
hallucinations as if real sensations
were being received.
! There is general shrinking of many
brain areas and connections
between them.
Understanding Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is
Are there biological risk factors more likely to develop
in babies born:
affecting early development?
!during and after flu
epidemics.
!in densely populated
Biological Risk Factors areas.
!a few months after
Schizophrenia is somewhat more flu season.
likely to develop when one or more of !after mothers had
these factors is present: the flu during the
! low birth weight second trimester, or
! maternal diabetes had antibodies
! older paternal age showing viral
infection.
! famine
! oxygen deprivation during delivery !The lesson is to:
! maternal virus during mid-pregnancy get flu shots
impairing brain development with early fall
pregnancies.
Understanding Schizophrenia
Are there genetic risk
factors? If so, we would see
more similar schizophrenia Genetic Factors
risk shared between If one twin has
identical twins than fraternal schizophrenia, the
twins (graph below). Do we? chance of the other
one also having it are
much greater if the
twins are identical.

Having adoptive
siblings (or parents)
with schizophrenia
does not increase the
likelihood of
developing
schizophrenia.
 Understanding Schizophrenia
Genetic and Prenatal Causes ! Even if maternal flu
! Even in identical twins, genetics do during the second
not fully predict schizophrenia. trimester doubles
the risk of
! This could be because of schizophrenia, this
environmental differences. means only 2
! First difference: twins in separate percent of these
placentas. babies develop the
disorder.
! Genetics may
differentiate these
2 percent.
! Research shows
many genes linked
to schizophrenia,
but it may take
environmental
Only one of two twins has the enlarged factors to turn on
ventricles seen in schizophrenia. these genes.
Understanding Schizophrenia
Are there Social-
psychological Psychological
causes? Factors
! Research does not support the
idea that social or psychological
factors (such as parenting) alone
can cause schizophrenia.
! However, there may be factors
such as stress that affect the
onset of schizophrenia.
! Until we find a mechanism of
causation, all we may have is a list
of factors which correlate with
increased risk.
 Predicting Schizophrenia:
Early Warning Signs
Social/psychological Biological factors
factors which tend to which tend to appear
appear before the before the onset of
onset of schizophrenia:
schizophrenia:

! early separation from ! having a mother with

parents severe chronic
schizophrenia
! short attention span
! birth complications,
! disruptive OR withdrawn including oxygen
behavior deprivation and low
! emotional unpredictability birth weight
! poor peer relations and/or ! poor muscle
solitary play coordination
 How common are
psychological disorders?
Countries vary greatly in the percentage of people reporting
mental health issues in the past year.
 Rates of
Psychological
Disorders
This list takes a closer
look at the past-year
prevalence of various
mental health diagnoses in
the United States.
Risks and Protective Factors for
Mental Disorders

Who is at risk of mental disorders?

Who is less at risk?
 Outcomes for People with
Psychological Disorders
There are risks to be watchful of,
obstacles to be overcome, and
improvements to be made, often with
the help of with treatment.
!Some people with psychological
disorders do not recover.
!Some achieve greatness, even with a
psychological disorder.