Learning Objectives

Chapter 16

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

1. List and describe five distinguishing characteristics of abnormal behavior.
2. Distinguish between the medical-biological, psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, sociocultural, and evolutionary models of abnormal behavior.
3. State what the DSM-IV is, list the five axes of the multiaxial system, and identify what information is recorded on each axis. In addition, discuss some of the criticisms of the DSM system.
4. Discuss how diversity and diagnoses are related to one another.
5. Define the term anxiety and list and define the various anxiety disorders that are discussed.
6. Define phobic disorder and explain the differences between agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific phobia.
7. Differentiate between an obsession and a compulsion as each relates to the diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
8. Describe the symptoms of major depressive disorder and describe its typical, onset, duration, and prevalence.
9. Summarize the causes of depression according to the biological, cognitive, and biopsychosocial theories.
10. Identify the two phases of bipolar disorder and discuss its prevalence and typical course.
11. Define dissociative disorder and identify and differentiate between dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder.
12. Describe the common symptoms of schizophrenia and identify the characteristics associated with the different types of schizophrenia.
13. Describe the hereditary and environmental factors that contribute to schizophrenia and identify its most likely causes.
14. List and describe the three broad classes of personality disorders and then define the six personality disorders that are discussed in your text.
15. Explain the relationship having a psychological disorder and violent behavior. In addition, distinguish between suicide attempters and completers, citing some of the factors that may influence a suicide attempt.
16. Describe how being a victim of a violent act might increase one’s risk for experiencing psychological problems, and identify what types of problems have been associated with certain types of violent acts.