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Psychophysiological Disorders

Psychophysiological Disorders. Stress and health Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition (V coded on Axis I) Behavioral medicine and health psychology. Psychosomatic or somatopsychic?. Western cultures have tended to offer psychosomatic explanations of certain illnesses.

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Psychophysiological Disorders

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  1. Psychophysiological Disorders Stress and health Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition (V coded on Axis I) Behavioral medicine and health psychology

  2. Psychosomatic or somatopsychic? • Western cultures have tended to offer psychosomatic explanations of certain illnesses. • Asian cultures have often offered somatopsychic explanations. • Perhaps as a result, Americans may be more reluctant to report physical symptoms than are Japanese or Koreans.

  3. Psychophysiological Disorders and DSM-IV • Listed in “Other conditions” on Axis I: Not a mental disorder • Diagnosis is Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition • Remember that Axis III, General Medical Conditions, may impinge on any DSM-IV diagnosis. • Medical conditions have psychological consequences

  4. Psychological Factors Affecting Physical Condition • Mental disorder • Psychological symptoms • Personality traits or coping style • Maladaptive health behaviors • Stress-related physiological response • Which is it? The Hmong sudden-death syndrome (Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome, or SUNDS)

  5. The culprit: Stress • Stress apparently exacerbates many medical conditions • On the other hand, good attitudes may prevent or help heal diseases • Lazarus (1966) and the subjectivity of stress definition • Coping strategies • Problem-focussed coping: Action • Emotion-focussed coping: Distraction

  6. How do you cope? • Stressor : An upcoming Abnormal Psychology exam • Follow a careful study plan • Complain about the teacher expecting too much work • Escape/avoid studying by going for pizza • Focus attention on another course

  7. Coping scales on COPE • Active coping: I’m concentrating on preparing for the exam • Suppress competing activities: I’m ignoring soc and bio for now • Planning: I’m trying to figure out a study schedule • Restraint: I’m holding off on studying so I don’t peak too soon • Social support: My friends agree that Young is a stinker.

  8. More coping strategies from COPE • Positive reframing: Failure is an important learning opportunity • Religion: God loves me even if I fail. • Acceptance: Que sera, sera. • Denial: Abnormal just isn’t important. • Behavioral disengagement: Why bother? I don’t care if I pass or not. • Humor : To do well would be abnormal. • Self-distraction: Pizza and a movie will get it off my mind.

  9. Theories of stress and illness • Somatic weakness • Specific reaction pattern (ANS) • Anger-in theory: Alexander (1950) • Cognitive appraisal patterns • Hostility and anger • Cognitive: Beliefs • Affective: Impatience • Volitional: Choices to act • Correlational research: What causes what?

  10. Treatments • Pharmacology • Biofeedback • Behavior change, eg diet • Relaxation training • Cognitive restructuring • Stress management • Relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, plus behavior skills training and environmental changes: Social support.

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