Psychology 380: Abnormal Psychology

Professor Overtree
Fall, 2010

Major Concepts to Review for the First Exam

Topics Covered:
All Lectures
Abnormal Psychology Chapters 1-4 and 15
Akeret Prologue & Chapter 1

The following list contains the major concepts discussed in the textbook that should be well
understood for the exam. In addition to these concepts, you’ll also need to study the material
discussed in class. Although you can use this as a guide for studying, all material covered in
lecture or in the readings is eligible for inclusion in the exam.

Ch. 1 – Understanding abnormality

Defining abnormality
Distress, impairment, risk to self and other people, socially and culturally unacceptable
behavior
Causes of abnormal behavior
Biological, psychological, sociocultural, biopsychosocial model
Abnormal Psychology throughout History
the scientific model, reemergence of spiritual explanations, the reform movement,
deinstitutionalization
Research methods
The scientific method, hypothesis formation, sample, population, the experimental
method, correlation, case study and single subject design, genetic studies, concordance
rate, twin studies, adoption studies
The human experience of psychological disorders
Stigma, impact on the family, impact on society, reducing stigma

Ch. 2 – Classification and treatment plans

Psychological disorder
Patient vs. client, comorbidity, treatment providers
The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
Development of the DSM, definition of disorder, assumptions of the DSM, medical
model, atheoretical orientation, categorical approach, multi-axial system, the five axes of
the DSM-IV-TR
The diagnostic process
Differential diagnosis, principal diagnosis, case formulation, cultural formulation
Treatment Planning
Treatment sites, treatment modalities
Ch. 3 – Assessment

What is a psychological assessment?

Definition of assessment
Clinical interview
Structured vs. unstructured vs. semistructured interviews, family history, definition and
goal of mental status examination
Psychological testing
Definition and types of reliability and validity, intelligence tests, personality and
diagnostic tests, MMPI-2, projective tests, Rorschach, TAT, behavioral assessment,
environmental assessment, physiological assessment, brain imaging techniques,
neuropsychological assessment

Ch. 4 – Theoretical perspectives

The purpose of theoretical perspectives

Psychodynamic perspective
Id, ego, superego, reality principle, defense mechanisms, fixation, post-Freudian
psychodynamic views, treatment, attachment styles
Humanistic perspective
Person-centered approach, conditions of worth, self-actualization, treatment
Sociocultural perspective
Family perspective, social discrimination, social influences and historical events,
treatment
Behavioral and cognitively based perspective
Causes of abnormality, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, positive and negative
reinforcement, punishment, self-efficacy, automatic thoughts, irrational beliefs,
treatment, counterconditioning, cognitive restructuring, cognitive therapy, REBT
Biological perspective
The nervous system and behavior, endocrine system, genetic influences, treatment,
psychosurgery, ECT, medication, biofeedback

Ch. 15 – Ethics and Legal Issues

Roles and responsibilities of clinicians, competence, informed consent, confidentiality,

privileged communication, mandated reporting, duty to warn, Tarasoff case,
relationships, business of psychotherapy, special roles, guardian ad litem, commitment of
clients, parens patriae, rights of treatment, refusal of treatment
Legal issues
Insanity defense, John Hinckley case, prediction of violent behavior, competency to stand
trial

You should also be familiar with the content of the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Tales from a
Traveling Couch by Robert U. Akeret.