Psychopathology An Integrative Approach - Department of

An Integrative Approach to Psychopathology Unidemensional Etiological Models of Psychopathology Advocate single causes of psychopathology  Biological Psychological   Systems Diathesis-Stress Etiological Model of Psychopathology Biological vulnerability  Environmental stress  Multidimensional Model of the Etiology of Psychopathology Biological (genetic, brain structures, neurotransmitters)  Behavior and cognition  Emotion  Social and cultural factors  Developmental factors  Genetics: Limitations of Unidimensional and DiathesisStress Models Genetics alone does not predict the development of psychopathology  Genetic factors make some contribution to all disorders but account for less than half of the explanation.  No individual genes for disorders have been identified Genetics: Multidimensional Model   Cognitions, emotions, social, cultural and developmental factors also determine whether genetic vulnerability to abnormal behavior is expressed. For example: children of schizophrenic parents who were adopted away as babies to families with high quality parenting, did not develop the Environment Mitigates Genetics Francis et. al. (1999)  Newly born rat pups of fearful and easily stressed mothers  Randomly placed with biological or calm mothers  Rat pups placed with calm mothers, were more calm and supportive as adults  Genetics and the Multidimensional Model: Implications  Early environmental manipulation may override genetically influenced tendencies to develop abnormal behavior Neurotransmitters and Psychopathology Process of Neuron Transmission  Neurotransmitters  Unidimensional and multidimensional models of the etiologic role of neurotransmitters in psychopathology  Neurotransmission: A Class Activity  “Acting out” a neuronal impulse Neurotransmitters Serotonin  GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid)  Norepiniphrine  Dopamine  Neurotransmitters and Psychopathology Unidimensional Model  Multidimensional Model  Excess or deficits in neurotransmitters  abnormal behavior (unidimensional) Learning experiences alter the structure of the neurons (e.g. study by William Greenough –see video clip) Early stress exposure  Changes in the HPA axis-increased susceptibility later in life  Behavioral and Cognitive Influences to Psychopathology Early Behavioral Paradigms Classical and operant conditioning  Emphasized a science of observable behavior (removed cognition completely)  Treatments, not causes, were emphasized in terms of psychopathology  Classical Conditioning Pairing of a UCS with a CS produces a CR (without any thought on the part of the person: a passive procedure) Conditioning: Later Paradigms Revised conditioning paradigms recognized the role of cognition Robert Rescorla  Learned Helplessness  Observational learning  Prepared learning  Rescorla  Robert Rescorla challenged the simple mechanistic views of learning Conceptualized classical conditioning as involving the acquisition of information about the relationship among events in the environment. Two different association patterns produce two different outcomes   Consider what it is like on a farm when bells are rung to signal to workers that the meal is on the table. It takes relatively few trials until the farm workers automatically associate the bell with food. Consider what farm workers would do if they heard a bell and sometimes they were fed and other times they weren't. The bell would not be associated with food. Learned Helplessness High frequency noncontingent punishment  Seligman classic study  Experimental dogs given inescapable shock  Experimental dogs never learned to jump to other compartment  Control dogs learned to jump to other compartment  Learned Helplessness and Depression Uncontrollable events  Cognitive: responding is futilemotivation is reduced  Self-conceptualization: person feels like a passive recipient rather than active agent  Attribution: (internal, stable, global)  Observational Learning Consequences influence probability of a behavior  Humans can learn by observing  Individuals will model behavior if they identify with another person  Bandura’s Early Studies       Child coloring in room Adult brutalizes a bobo doll and makes aggressive comments for about 10 minutes Child led to second room with enticing toys Frustration induced Child led to third room with several toys and a bobo doll Child’s behavior is observed Bandura’s Results Experimental-group children mimicked aggressive action  Control-group children were less likely to treat doll aggressively  Observational Learning in Infants       Observation learning begins in infancy Study by Hanna & Meltzoff (1993) Trained one-year olds to be “experts” at a novel toy with “tricks” “Expert” babies demonstrate how to solve the tricks to fellow toddlers “Trained toddlers” were able to solve the puzzle within 20 seconds “Untrained toddlers” could not solve the toy’s tricks Prepared Learning  Biology and genetics influence readiness to learn Note: More in the discussion sections Conditioning, Cognitive Processes and Psychopathology Question:  What do these conditioning paradigms that include cognition have to do with the etiology of psychopathology?  Or…why are we reviewing this information? Answers:  These early models recognized the importance of thought (cognition) in understanding learned behavior.  Basic research about the critical role of cognition in determining behavior informed the development of cognitive behavioral therapies Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Maladaptive behavior results from maladaptive thinking process.  Changing maladaptive thinking will result in improved behavior  Note: more later in the semester Emotion and Psychopathology  Emotion can contribute in significant ways to the development of psychopathology Emotion: Definition A subjective feeling that is accompanied by changes in physiological reactions, cognitions, and behavior. Emotion Three components:  Behavior  Physiology  Cognition Theories of Emotion James -Lange Emotional event  Physiological changes  Emotion Schacter -Singer Emotional event  Physiological arousal Cognitive label from external cues  Emotion Izard  Subcortical brain structures Cortex   Emotion Emotion Emotional event Schacter and Singer Classic Experiment Cognitive Attribution External Environment Happy Confederate Resulting Emotion     SR=.98;AI=12.72 Epinephrine Informed  Hostile Confederate Happy Confederate Hostile Confederate SR=1.91; AU=-.18 Epinephrine Uninformed  SR=1.90*; AI=22.56* SR=1.39(ns); AU=2.28* Facial Expression: Expressions of Emotion     Nonverbal facial cues are associated with specific emotions Extensively studied by Izard Ability increases with age However even very young children can decipher facial meaning (social referencing video example) Show a videotape facial expression? Mood  While emotions are short lived temporary states, moods are a persistent period of affect Emotions and Cognition Emotions affective cognitive processes  For example, good mood increases memory performance and creative problem solving (Isen)  Isen, Daubmen & Nowicki (1987) Affect Manipulation Condition Comedy Film Manipulation Check Creative Problem Solving Task Percentage w/ Correct Solution 58% 11% Math Film No Film 16% Emotion and Psychopathology Emotions are principal factor in many psychological disorders  Fear  Anger  Sadness  Excitement Why? Emotions and interpretations are related. Imagine the different emotional reactions of mother’s to their infant’s crying “Oh no not again -if someone doesn’t help, I’ll throw this baby out of the window. She’s deliberately winding me up!” “I wonder what’s wrong - is my baby ill? Maybe I’ve not fed her properly… should I take her to the doctor?” “I’m doing something wrong. Its my fault. I’m a useless mother she doesn’t like me. I’ve no energy to do anything else.” “Ah- poor thing - it must be wind! She’s got great lungs! She’s telling me she’s still here and needs something!” Culture, Social, & Development  Cultural Gender    Fright disorders (Voodoo, evil eye) Females-phobias and eating disorders Few social relationships is associated with psychopathology Developmental periods may differentially influence vulnerability to psychopathology  Interpersonal   Developmental  Multidimensional Model of the Etiology of Psychopathology Biological (genetic, brain structures, neurotransmitters)  Behavior and cognition  Emotion  Social and cultural factors  Developmental factors 