Deck 9: Mental Disorders

Question 1

What is the difference between an organic and functional mental disorder? Name some of the disorders along with their symptoms, that are considered psychoses.

Answer 1

Organic mental disorders are caused by a physical or physiological change in the brain, such as a brain injury, infection, or substance abuse. These disorders often have a clear biological cause and can be diagnosed through medical tests. On the other hand, functional mental disorders, also known as psychiatric disorders, are characterized by psychological or behavioral symptoms without a clear physical cause. These disorders are often diagnosed based on a person's symptoms and behavior.

Some psychoses that are considered functional mental disorders include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder with psychotic features. Symptoms of schizophrenia can include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and lack of motivation. Schizoaffective disorder combines symptoms of schizophrenia with a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder with psychotic features involves episodes of mania or depression along with psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions.

It's important to note that while these disorders are considered psychoses, they can vary widely in their presentation and severity from person to person. Treatment for these disorders often involves a combination of medication, therapy, and support services.

Question 2

What are some of the correlates of mentally disorder? How may family setting, genetics and stress influence the onset of mental illness?

Answer 2

Some of the correlates of mental disorders include family history, genetics, and environmental stressors. Family setting can play a significant role in the development of mental illness, as individuals with a family history of mental disorders may be at a higher risk of experiencing similar issues themselves. This can be due to both genetic and environmental factors, as growing up in a household with a mentally ill family member can contribute to increased stress and potential trauma.

Genetics also play a key role in the onset of mental illness, as certain genetic factors can predispose individuals to specific disorders. For example, conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have been linked to genetic predispositions, and individuals with a family history of these disorders may be more likely to develop them themselves.

Environmental stressors, such as trauma, abuse, or chronic stress, can also influence the onset of mental illness. High levels of stress can impact brain function and increase the risk of developing conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, exposure to environmental toxins or substance abuse can also contribute to the development of mental disorders.

Overall, the interplay of family setting, genetics, and stress can significantly influence the onset of mental illness. By understanding these correlates, individuals and healthcare professionals can work to identify and address risk factors, provide appropriate support, and develop effective treatment strategies for those experiencing mental health challenges.

Question 3

How does a medical model view mental illness? How does the labeling model view it? How can mental illness be viewed as a myth?

Answer 3

The medical model views mental illness as a biological or psychological dysfunction that can be diagnosed and treated through medical intervention, such as medication or therapy. This model emphasizes the importance of identifying specific symptoms and diagnosing mental disorders based on established criteria, and it often focuses on the biological and genetic factors that contribute to mental illness.

On the other hand, the labeling model views mental illness as a social construct, where individuals are labeled as "mentally ill" based on their behavior or symptoms. This model emphasizes the role of societal norms and expectations in defining what is considered "normal" or "abnormal" behavior, and it highlights the potential negative consequences of labeling individuals with mental illness, such as stigma and discrimination.

Mental illness can also be viewed as a myth in the sense that it is often misunderstood or misrepresented in society. This perspective suggests that the concept of mental illness is not based on objective scientific evidence, but rather on cultural beliefs and societal norms. Some critics argue that mental illness is over-diagnosed and over-medicated, and that it is used as a way to control and marginalize certain groups of people.

Overall, these different perspectives on mental illness highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of this issue, and they raise important questions about the role of biology, society, and culture in shaping our understanding of mental health.

Question 4

Discuss labeling theory and its views of residual behavior. In what ways has labeling theory possibly outlived its usefulness?

Question 5

What is the Therapeutic State and how does it operate?

Question 6

Functional mental disorders are those that result from syphilis, lead poisoning, encephalitis, tumors, malnutrition, etc.

Question 7

Sexual disorders in the DSM-III-R are transsexualism, fetishism, transvestism, zoophilia, pedophilia, masochism, and homosexuality.

Question 8

Traditionally, psychiatrist diagnoses are very unreliable.

Question 9

The labeling of mental illness is usually by community members, not professional personnel.

Question 10

The nature of the link between genetic factors and mental disorders is a mystery.

Question 11

Thomas S. Szasz describes mental disorders as illnesses.

Question 12

The medical model assumes that certain behaviors are symptomatic of disease.

Question 13

The labeling model says that mental disorder is the result of reactions from others.

Question 14

Evidence currently supports labeling as an explanation of who is labeled mentally disordered and as an explanation of why the disordered behavior emerges or persists.

Question 15

One criticism of the therapeutic state is that it requires an objective means or diagnosing and that this does not exist.

Question 16

________ involve a high degree of disorganization and an inability to function socially.

Question 17

The ___________ states that persons who develop or are likely to develop emotional difficulties stay in the lower class or even descend into the lower class because they experience difficulties with employment and other social relationships.

Question 18

Research indicates that for males, ___________ is a strong insulator for mental disorder, while for females, the ____________ is a strong insulator.

Question 19

Anxiety caused by real or imagined problems is ______.

Question 20

Insanity is:

A) a legal term
B) a psychiatric diagnosis
C) usually organic in origin
D) related to social class
E) b and d above

Question 21

Organic mental disorders:

A) constitute the majority of all diagnosed mental disorders
B) are associated with physiological damage to the brain
C) do not exist, according to your textbook
D) are so-called because the disorders cause physiological distress such as blindness, paralysis, and so on
E) a and b above

Question 22

As the U.S. population ages, __________ is becoming a concern because of its link to behavior disorders.

A) delirium tremens
B) general paresis
C) Alzheimer's disease
D) Charles H. Senilus syndrome

Question 23

The most common diagnosis among serious mental disorders is:

A) anxiety disorder
B) affective disorder
C) paranoia
D) schizophrenia

Question 24

In the DSM-III-R, the term "neuroses" of the earlier DSM-II has been replaced by:

A) schizophrenia
B) paranoia
C) affective disorders
D) anxiety disorders

Question 25

Psychiatric diagnoses often have been found to be unreliable. This means that:

A) psychiatrists treat the same disorders with different therapies
B) psychiatrists do not agree on the diagnosis of similar sets of symptoms
C) psychiatrists do not agree on the causes of the symptoms
D) psychiatrists treat different disorders with identical therapies

Question 26

According to your textbook, the finding that the great majority of urban residents are suffering from mental disorders indicates:

A) the great strains inherent in city life
B) the advances made in on-the-spot diagnoses
C) the degree of subjective judgment in making diagnosis
D) the need for more neighborhood mental health clinics

Question 27

An early decision that one may be suffering from a mental disorder is usually made by:

A) the individual
B) community members
C) medical doctors
D) mental health professionals
E) c and d above

Question 28

Which of the following appears to be related to the incidents of being diagnosed as mentally disordered?

A) social class
B) genetics
C) family setting
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 29

The Hollingshead and Redlich study in New Haven found that:

A) the higher the social class status the lower the incidence of diagnosed psychoses
B) social classes experience neuroses in the same proportions
C) mental disorders are a myth
D) social classes are treated similarly for similar disorders
E) a and b above

Question 30

Mentally disordered persons are handicapped in terms of social mobility. This statement is consistent with:

A) the social causation model
B) the affective disorders model
C) the stress hypothesis
D) the drift hypothesis
E) none of the above

Question 31

For __________, marriage itself is an insulator against mental disorder, but for __________ the quality of married life is more important.

A) females, males
B) males, females

Question 32

According to Kohn's theory on the incidence of schizophrenia, the crucial factor underlying the condition is:

A) labeling
B) social class position
C) stress
D) genetics
E) family conditions

Question 33

The medical model of mental disorder portrays the condition's source as:

A) within the family and social class environment
B) stemming from physiological conditions
C) an interaction between individual behavior and social reaction
D) a and c above
E) none of the above

Question 34

According to Thomas Scheff S. Szasz, mental disease is a "myth." By this he means that:

A) the behaviors are imaginary
B) the behaviors are judged on the basis of values
C) the behaviors are secondary rather than primary
D) the behaviors are essentially untreatable
E) none of the above

Question 35

According to Thomas Scheff, labeling is the single most important cause of:

A) the onset of residual deviance
B) careers of residual deviance
C) social audiences recognizing that someone is mentally ill
D) the reversal of a mental disorder syndrome

Question 36

According to the labeling perspective:

A) residual rule-breaking is a myth
B) most residual rule-breaking is long-term in nature
C) residual rule-breaking is minimal in any population
D) most residual rule-breaking goes unacknowledged

Question 37

The "psychiatric revolution" beginning in 1955 refers to which of the following?

A) a decreased use of long-term hospitalization
B) an increase in prescribing anti-psychotic drugs
C) a decrease in involuntary hospitalizations
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 38

In the early 1970s, courts ruled in a series of cases that involuntary commitments to mental facilities are not permissible unless the persons suffer from:

A) organic psychoses
B) anxiety disorders
C) incontinence
D) hallucinations
E) none of the above

Question 39

Walter Gove argues that the labeling perspective on mental disorder is less valid today because of changes in:

A) methods of treating the mentally disordered
B) mental patients' rights
C) attitudes toward the mentally disordered
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 40

The belief that society must help unhappy, disorganized, or potentially disruptive individuals by treatment, with or without those individual's permission, is the philosophy of:

A) the labeling perspective
B) the heuristic model
C) the therapeutic state
D) the psychopath movement

Question 41

Persons diagnosed as mentally disordered:

A) are usually violent or aggressive
B) are less competent to act in their best interests than normal persons
C) are more likely than normals to be changed by therapy
D) all of the above
E) none of the above