Clinical Assessment,

Mental Health and Mental Disorders

Chapter 4

Defining mental health and psychopathology

What is normal?

Standards for behavior change across time

What are the characteristics of people with good mental health? positive attitude toward self accurate perception of reality mastery of the environment Autonomy personal balance growth and self-actualization

Multidimensional life-span approach to psychopathology

Biological Forces

Physical problems provide clues

Physical problems may present as psychological

Psychological Forces

Key to understanding psychopathology

Normal changes in aging can mimic or cover up mental

disorders so it’s tricky

Sociocultural forces

Customs differ across cultures

Is it normal?

Or is it just crazy?

Life-Cycle factors

Past experiences

Ethnicity and mental health

Developmental issues in assessment and therapy

What is assessment?

MEASURI

NGUnderstanding

Predicting

Multidimensional assessment

Factors Influencing Assessment

Assessment methods

18-2930-44

45-64>65

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

4

% of depression

Depression

General Symptoms and Characteristics of People with Depression1. Dysphoria—feeling “down” or “blue”2. Accompanying physical symptoms

Insomnia Changes in appetite Diffused pain Trouble breathing Headaches Fatigue Sensory loss

Older ethnic minorities=higher rates of depression

Treatment of Depression

All forms of depression benefit from some form of therapy

Medication – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) Fluoxetine (Prozac) Paroxetine (Paxil Sertraline (Zoloft) Escitalopram (LexaproOther types Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake

inhibitors (NDRI) Combined reuptake inhibitors and receptor

blockers Tetrecyclic antidepressants

Electroconvulsive therapyPsychotherapy

Behavior therapyCognitive therapy