Diagnosis and Analysis of Clinical Disorders - Assignment Example

? Number: PERSONAL REFLECTION ON ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY As a personal reflection, I believe that the types of disorders I exhibit fall in the category of clinical disorders. These disorders are the most obvious and are characterized with clinical syndromes. Additionally, the disorders cause bizarre behavior; difficulty in daily life (Laurier University). Given that clinical disorders are often first diagnosed in three phases; infancy, childhood and adolescence, I can therefore, assess myself and eventually conclude that I have clinical disorders. Notably, clinical disorders integrate many orders such as emotional, physical and intellectual disorders, which typically, start prior to maturity. Some of the clinical disorders that I portray include communication disorders and disruptive behavior (Rogers & Visman, 2008). Additionally, I have disorders in attention deficit as well as in disruptive behavior; for example, oppositional defiant disorders. The other common group of disorders involves the mood disorders. Such disorders include mood disturbances that are not a reasonable response to life events. The example that I believe I also portray is the one of utmost depression. Anxiety disorders form the third typical disorders that I possess. The various characteristics of the disorders related to anxiety help in clarifying that I have anxiety disorders. Such features include worry, apprehension and excessive fear (Silverman, Pina & Viswesvarn, 2008). More specifically, I have social phobia, an attribute that has caused me low self esteem. Usually, I fear socializing, especially with new people. Additionally, I am a highly ambitious person, and I think this causes me suffer worries when my ambitions are at times challenged. I also bear generalized anxiety that causes usual worries as I wonder whether my expectations will eventually be realized. The last type of disorders that I have is the adjustment disorders. Adjustment disorders regard the development of exceedingly behavioral or emotional symptoms. Such symptoms include distress, impairment in occupational or social functioning (Laurier University). The estimated span of such experiences is 3 months, when one faces a difficult stressful experience. I remember of the experience I had when I transferred from the former house of residence in school and I actually had a tough time for a period of almost six months before socializing with my new housemates. Some of these symptoms can potentially cause dysfunction, when the disorders accompanying them persist, and have significant influence in the manner of behaving. Psychologists Considerations in Diagnosis. Clinical psychologists are trained in psychological assessment as well as diagnosis. The DSM-IV-TR, released in the year 2000 requires for a client to meet unique criteria. It is only after meeting such criteria that a client is diagnosed regarding a disorder. There is the use of clear decision rules, for example, an individual must meet a given count of symptoms in various categories. Additionally, the DSM-IV-TR presents another requirement that specific symptoms must have persisted for a given period of time. However, some disorders are regarded exceptions; such as post-partum depression (PTSD), and various reactions to adjustment. Causes of such syndromes are disregarded for diagnosis. Although there could be the probability of vulnerability in genetic in a given family composition, the requirements of the DSM-IV-TR do not change. In diagnosis, focus regards whether the client meets the DSM’s objective criteria. The diagnosis does not concentrate in assessing whether the criteria fit the disorder’s model or the client’s description. However, the diagnosis uses an exclusionary criterion; for example, recently bereaved individuals are not pathologized for a depression’s diagnosis. In another case, medically fragile individuals are not diagnosed with the disorder of dependent personality. A consideration is done on whether symptoms exhibited are a resultant of head injury, medical disorder, or exposure to medications or toxins. Psychologists find it of utter necessity to consider cultural factors in diagnosing an individual. Varying norms regarding the manner in which people express their emotions and feelings, for example, sadness, physical pain, grief, and anger. Notably, the DSM encourages all clinicians to consider culturally related influences on an individual’s behavior. It is paramount to consider the cultural context within which an individual encountered a specific problem. APPLICABILITY OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY MODELS One of the psychodynamic theories includes the Freud's theory that integrates the three levels of consciousness: conscious, preconscious and unconscious mind. The conscious level concentrates on the information one is presently aware of. Preconscious concentrates on the information that one is not currently in awareness yet can be easily brought forward. On the other hand, unconscious information is hindered from being elevated into awareness through the conscious defense mechanisms. The unconsciousness level forms the most significant level. Psychosocial theories classify personalities into three different structures; id, ego and superego. The classification of theories forms the second psychopathology model. Id structure of personality is right from birth. It covers the instinctual biological drives. Additionally, the id structure integrates the principle of pleasure or urge for instant gratification. The id personality resides in unconscious section, and it involves core process of thinking. I believe some of the behaviors that I exhibit presently are outcomes of the contributions of the id personality structure. Sometimes I would desire something from my parents, and when such a demand was denied, the response would be violent, and a feeling of being hated and never cared for. I forgot that my parents had sufficient knowledge on when I needed what. Even now, when some desires are not gratified instantly as I want them met, I usually suffer stress due to the power of id personality. The second personality structure is ego, and it develops when one is about one year old after birth. The development results from the denial of instinctual demands. The ego structure functions to mediate between the inside of an individual and reality. It is the role of the ego to ensure that the impulses generated by id relate with the reality. Ego indicates the secondary thinking process and has its residence in preconscious. It weighs the cost as well as benefits of a given action in order to approve or abort the impulses. I am confident that every action I execute is a resultant of the decisions I make in the mind and as a role played by the ego personality. At times, an idea may generate in my mind, but it fails to be manifested in any physical action. This implies that the preconscious mind has aborted such an impulse from the id and thus the ego did not approve it. The absolute reason would be that the action does not relate with the real life. The last structure of personality is superego. The development of the superego personality develops according to child’s maturity rate. Superego represents the internalization or embodiment of the available rules and customs in the society. The superego personality structure has got its residence in unconscious. Most of the behaviors are significantly influenced by societal context, which is characterized by numerous norms, rules and customs. When am at home, my decisions are partially influenced by the norms running in our family, considering the role of religion and other internally generated rules in a family. Regarding the learning environment, there are set rules that every stakeholder is expected to adhere unto, including students and teachers. This implies that neither the student nor the teacher can live according to their absolute set rule, but they have to abide with the school rules. The superego, therefore, initiates bitter reactions within the mind, as though ones demands of living according to our own rules are denied. Operant Conditioning Principles (Mower) The research by Skinner, involving pigeons as well as other animals help demonstrate that every consequence is significant and can either discourage or encourage the response or behavior in human behavior. The 2-factor argument helps in explaining the significance of every consequence. Hobart Mower’s conditioning theory included the first factor, which is exposure. This factor was used in establishing phobia; for example, an individual with an experience of being bitten by a dog in childhood experiences a traumatic event which elicits fear over any previous unaffected (neutral) stimulus. On the other hand, factor- 2 approach represented avoidance, where such an individual attacked by a dog avoids the dog. Such people suffer from four typical consequences which influence behavior; reinforcement and punishment. Reinforcement Approach Regarding the reinforcement approach, consequences increase the frequency or likelihood of any behavior that may occur in the future. Positively, a pleasant or desirable attribute is given or added. Negatively, reinforcement can cause undesirable or unpleasant outcomes such as pain and distress. My parent’s effort of waking us up early to ready while still young helped reinforce a good reading culture. I was conditioned that whenever I read when my mind is fresh, the probability of excelling in my exams would be higher that when I did not wake up to study. Consequence reduces the frequency or likelihood of a futuristic behavior. Positively, an unpleasant or undesirable attributed is enforced or added. On the other hand, punishment can lead to the reduction or removal of something desirable. Notably, various phobias are maintained since they reinforced negatively. The maintenance of phobia is by reducing anxiety or distress experienced by an individual while escaping or avoiding the phobic or conditioned stimulus. I conquer with Skinner that some past experienced consequences tend to act as a norm in our mind, and they significantly determined the likelihood of our behaviors. I remember in a single instance that my sister took some dad’s money and, when my mum realized she punished the sister. The punishment acted as the regulator in her mind, not to take other people’s properties without their consent or permission. THERAPY Psychotherapeutic approaches indicate a constant evolution and a considerable blending of ideas from different approaches (Greenberg, 2008). Emphasis is exerted towards the identification and dissemination of treatments that help realize reliable solutions. Therefore, psychologists concentrate on establishing the patient’s help, while such psychologists tend not to defend their personal beliefs. Interpersonal Psychodynamic Psychotherapy This psychotherapy was developed by Harry Stack Sullivan, who held that disorders of the human mind are as a result of the maladaptive interactions that happen between a child and his/her parent. Interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on the existing interactions that clients have with their social environments. An outstanding feature of the interpersonal therapy is that feedback is provided, therefore, helping clients in realizing how they provoke or perpetuate conflicts by through their interpersonal styles. Such interpersonal styles may include dependence and hostility. Additionally, it is the role of therapists to help clients in learning how to interact with other people flexibly and positively. Therapists have to be cautious to avoid reinforcing the maladaptive behaviors of the clients. I am convinced that the interpersonal psychodynamic psychotherapy can significantly help me in alleviating the symptoms of some of the disorders that I exhibit. Such disorders that I think that they can be addressed sufficiently by use of this approach include the interpersonal disorders. This will help reduce the likelihood of causing conflicts when my demands are not gratified. REINFORCEMENT This approach is built on the phenomenon which holds that the behavior accompanied by a reward has a higher likelihood of being repeated. Efforts of reinforcing desirable behaviors help in the formation of treatments through which the parent learns on the selective reinforcement of behaviors in his/her children. Additionally, the child is taught how to disregard behaviors that are undesirable. Systematic programs that employ the reinforcement approach in encouraging and maintaining effective behaviors register excellence in cultivating desirable behaviors. Such programs are used in residences, schools, and institutions. Reinforcement approach presents a sound way of helping me in assessing the cost and benefits of causes of actions before executing them. When the consequence of an action is the reward, I will be motivated to ensure that every other action I engage in has a predetermined reward and not punishment. On the other hand, I would avoid every action whose consequence is punishment or undesirable outcome. Reference Dozois, J. A. David & Firestone, Phillip. (2007). Abnormal Psychology: Perspectives. Ontanio: Toronto, Pearson Canada Inc. Read More