...Schizophrenia and Psychosis and Lifespan Development Cathy Perry Psy 410 September 26, 2011 Lara Ashbaugh Schizophrenia and Psychosis and Lifespan Development Schizophrenia and lifespan developmental disorders reduce the normal functioning of individuals suffering from them. These disorders consist of components that vary extensively; therefore defining and understanding each component within the individual’s circumstances is of extreme importance. This is especially true when diagnosing childhood disorders. Identifying and understanding these components assists in creating more effective therapeutic applications, intervention, and prevention of these disorders (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Schizophrenia Biological Components Evidence suggests the predisposition of schizophrenia is inherited, however the genetic factor must also interact with environmental factors such as viruses, toxins, drug use, or injuries sustained prior to birth (PubMed Health, 2010). Biological components of schizophrenia consist of brain structures and functions. Several abnormalities in brain function appear to be associated with schizophrenia. This disorder is better understood by its complex neuro-developmental basis instead of a dopamine hypothesis. This hypothesis claims that there is excessive dopamine in the neural system that is the reason for schizophrenia to develop. Emotional Components Studies on the effects of expressed emotion (EE) on schizophrenic patient’s...
Words: 1051 - Pages: 5
...Schizophrenia and Childhood Disorders PSY/410 September 1, 2012 Schizophrenia and Childhood Disorders Schizophrenia can affect anyone at any age, but most cases develop between adolescence and age 30. Children can be affected by schizophrenia, but this is uncommon (NAMI, 1998). For many people schizophrenia is often confused with multiple personality disorder. The following paper will discuss the many components of schizophrenia that make it unique as well as the aspects of lifespan development disorders. A quick review of the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of these two disorders will hopefully inspire the reader to research further. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a disorder that keeps a person from managing his or her emotions, thinking clearly, or being able to relate to others. According to NAMI (1998, para. 1) schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects approximately two million or 15% of Americans today. There are two main symptom classis of schizophrenia: positive and negative. The positive symptoms or class I symptoms are what is referred to by Hansell and Damour (2009) as overt or heightened senses/characteristics. Negative or class II symptoms are a lack of behavioral characteristics that are not there. NAMI (1998, para. 7) notes that in order to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, a patient must have psychotic, "loss-of-reality" symptoms for at least six months and show increasing difficulty in functioning normally. When looking...
Words: 881 - Pages: 4
...Eating Disorder, Substance Abuse, Sex/Gender/Sexual, Impulse-Control, and Personality Disorders PSY/410 Eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual, gender identity, and personality disorders reduce the capacity for normal human behavior functioning. Even though their components vary extensively, understanding each decreases the stigmatized perception of these disorders and promoting the realistic application of interventions and preventions to support and resume normalcy with individuals and the human behavior. Eating Disorder In Eating disorders the biological emphasis on the hereditary factors, hormonal, neurotransmitter abnormalities, and the structure of the brains irregularities. Individuals with anorexia and bulimia have shown signs of low serotonin levels with brain abnormalities In the Psychodynamic the complex is powered by Bruch’s assessment and interpretation with the individual’s comatose feelings. Other psychodynamic theorists believe some individuals agonize with wanting there body to resemble as when they were children. The Cognitive-Behavioral Components viewpoints with eating disorders are a blend of dysfunctional thoughts and recurrent occurrences that have reinforced the behaviors of the eating disorders. Substance Abuse The Biological Components and the commodities of the symptoms of drug addiction is the drug tolerance and withdrawal is the most influential biological features with substance abuse. Approximately 50 percent of substance use disorders...
Words: 697 - Pages: 3
... Substance Abuse, Sex/Gender/Sexual, Impulse-Control, and Personality Disorders The capacity for normal human functioning is reduced when an individual suffers from eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual, gender identity and/or personality disorders. When an individual suffers from an eating disorder their perception of the self is blurred with a constant need to be “skinner”. Society plays a major role in self-perception. Society portrays beauty as women and men who weigh ninety-five pounds. Due to this current obsession to be skinny in today’s society, many young girls and boys will develop an eating disorder, or turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to escape from the daily pressures to be beautiful in today’s society. This paper will analyze the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of eating, substance abuse, sex/gender/sexual, and personality disorders. The DSM-IV-TR includes two axis I categories of eating disorders, anorexia nervosa—restricting and binge-eating/purging types—and bulimia nervosa—purging and non-purging types. Biological factors involved with eating disorders include genetic basis, hormonal excesses and deficiencies and abnormal neural activity. People who suffer from anorexia and bulimia usually have low serotonin levels as well as structural brain abnormalities. High expectations set by parents is a key factor in the emotional aspect of this disorder. Many strive toward high expectations and suffer the effects of not reaching...
Words: 1149 - Pages: 5
...Avoidant Personality Disorder Avoidant personality disorder is a subtype of the anxious personality disorders. It is characterized by feelings of inadequacy, sensitivity to negative evaluation and irrational fear of social relationships, as well as depression and anxiety. Many individuals with avoidant personality disorder have an inner world of fantasy and pretend relationships. “They are so fearful of being rejected that they give no one an opportunity to reject them—or accept them” (Comer, 416). Avoidant personality disorder can have a physical effect on the body system. A patient may experience headaches, indigestion, constipation, appetite disturbances, and sleep disturbances. From a biochemical perspective, a patient may have low norepinephrine...
Words: 696 - Pages: 3
...Case Study: Theodore Bundy Jeana Avery PSY 410 University of Phoenix Jan 27, 2010 Case Study: Theodore Bundy This paper will look at the case study of the serial killer Ted Bundy, who had antisocial personality disorder. Background of Bundy’s life will be provided, as well as the definition and criteria of antisocial personality disorder. Last, the paper will look at the biological, emotional, and cognitive causes of antisocial personality disorder. Background Theodore Bundy was born November 11, 1946 in Burlington, Vermont. Bundy never knew his biological father, and was raised in his early years by his grandparents, who Bundy believed were his parents. Bundy’s mother, whom he believed to be his sister, eventually took Bundy from his grandparent’s home and remarried. Three children resulted from his mother’s marriage to Johnnie Bundy, and Ted Bundy reacted with anger, resentment, and jealousy. Bundy did well in school, attended Sunday school, and was an avid skier. However, Bundy was haunted by his illegitimacy, and his mother’s resentment towards him. Bundy’s step-father would become violent when provoked, and Bundy felt overlooked, unsupported, and ignored. As a child, Bundy looked at naked pictures of women, obsessed about material possessions, and was humiliated by his family’s economic status. Due to Bundy’s lack of social skills, Bundy was shy, introverted, and felt inferior to others (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). “I am the most cold-blooded son...
Words: 1036 - Pages: 5
...Donald Lifespan Development and Personality Early childhood development can be affected by a number of factors, and it is impossible to underestimate the immense importance of the early development of children. Erik Erikson's stage theory of psychosocial development contributed to the understanding of personality development throughout the lifespan. The lifespan development of human being involves the psychological and genetic alterations from the birth and end of the life. The progress of life is highly influenced by the hereditary and environmental factors involving the different aspects related to physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Erik Erikson felt as if middle age children between the ages of six and twelve is where they begin to develop the mental skills needed in later years.“Elementary school-aged children, who succeed in learning new, productive life skills, develop a sense of pride and competence (industry). Those who fail to develop these skills feel inadequate and unproductive (inferior)” (Carpenter & Huffman, 2010). The phase of physical development of a child is classified as gross motor skills development and fine motor skills development. Hereditary factors play an important role in the physical growth and characteristics development of the child in the middle childhood stage. Physical growth of the child can be assessed in the form of weight acquisition and...
Words: 1170 - Pages: 5
...Eating, Substance Abuse, Sex/Gender/Sexual, Impulse-Control, and Personality Disorder Normal behavior is accepted world-wide, but when people show abnormal behavior, it is accepted by the few that may understand why this is their behavior. Abnormal behavior that disrupts an individual’s life on a daily basis can be caused by several disorders. These disorders can very complex at times and some are more devastating to the mind and body than others. In this paper, the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of eating, substance abuse, sex/gender/sexual, impulse-control, and personality disorders will be analyzed. Biological Eating Disorder Genetics and abnormalities in hormones, neurotransmitters, and brain structures are focused on to explain how eating disorders are developed. Studies have shown that identical twins are more likely to have anorexia and bulimia than fraternal twins. However, other studies show that eating disorder symptoms can be greatly influenced by nongenetic factors, such as obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder and depression. Eating disorders are seen as an extension of obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder by some clinicians because people may develop the compulsive need for dieting, exercising, or purging as a result of obsessional thoughts about being overweight (Hansell & Damour, 2008). As for hormonal abnormalities, two hormones (leptin and ghrelin) have been the main focus in recent research. Leptin is a hormone...
Words: 2458 - Pages: 10
...Melissa Redmond April 2, 2012 Psy/410 Components Introduction Eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual, gender identity, and personality disorders lessen the ability for the human to function normal. Although their components have many varieties, being able to understand each of them allows for the reduction of classified awareness of these disorders and advertises a more realistic function of preventions and interventions to give support and become more normal. Eating Disorders Biological Biological components involve a genetic basis, deficiencies, hormonal excesses, and abnormal neural activity. People suffering from bulimia and anorexia have serotonin levels that are low and unusual along with structural brain abnormalities. Alterations in the brain may be responsible for the change in the metabolic reactions and endocrine to starvation. Emotional Eating disorders may be a compound reaction to expectations that are high and usually start with the parents and kept up with by the person. Eating disorders can also be considered a way of protecting self from adult sexuality or it could be a response to a situation where sexual abuse may have taken place. There are many times where the individual has high expectations but unfortunately they have to deal with never being able to reach them (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Cognitive Cognitive in eating disorders have to deal with the individual focusing more on situations where eating and starving...
Words: 1348 - Pages: 6
...Middle Childhood PSY/103 Middle Childhood There are various aspects of human development, including physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development. In this paper the author will discuss the middle childhood (6-12 years) stage of human development. Incorporated will be the factors that affect physical and cognitive development both hereditary and environmental. I will also discuss the factors that affect social, moral, and personality development. Developmentally, middle childhood is a big time in a child’s life. During this time, they begin their academic journey. “During middle childhood, defined by psychologists as the period between 6 and 12 years of age children develop the emotional, cognitive, and social skills necessary to become educable members of society” (Campbell, 2011). They are growing and changing in so many ways. Children begin learning how to relate to others outside the home. They also learn to respect others and how to treat others properly. A child’s physical and cognitive development can be affected by many things. Genetics, nutrition, home environment, income, and parenting affect how a child will develop during middle childhood. Culture also comes into play when a person looks at social, moral, and personality development. All of these things will affect how a child thinks and feels about the world around him or her. Genes have an effect on middle childhood development. Everything from height and weight to hair color are determined...
Words: 1195 - Pages: 5
...Childhood Depression Abstract Empirical evidence shows that that depression disorder in children is a common condition that affects emotional, physical, and social development. Risk factors include parental conflict, a family history of depression, poor peer relationship, negative thinking, and deficit in coping skills. Treatment criteria of children and adults are the same, with the exception that children may display irritability rather than depressed or sad mood, and loss of weight may be seen as a failure gain appropriate weight milestones. Diagnosis and treatment should take into account developmental stage, suicidality, severity of depression, and social and environmental factors. The recommended therapies for mild depression include interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavior therapy and serve as appropriate adjuvant to medical treatments for those with moderate and severe depression. This paper explore depression among children, outlines different types of diagnosis, as well as the parameters for rare situations in which practitioners can try antidepressants when psychotherapeutic options fail and the depression is in severe stage. Introduction About 2.8 percent of children younger than 13 years suffer from depression at any given point in time (Clark, Jansen, & Cloy, 2012). The incidence of depression among children is a major concern because of the damaging and acute consequences associated with the disorder. Research shows that 60 percent of adolescents...
Words: 1522 - Pages: 7
...Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Have you ever known someone who struggles with being unorganized, unable to listen, have behavior problems or interrupts conversations frequently? Have you ever thought that their brain is wired a little differently? That question is the essence of ADHD. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is defined as a “persistent pattern of inattention and / or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development (APA, p. 78).” Since there is an abundance of information concerning this topic, this paper will focus on the nature and effects of ADHD, highlighting cognitive and genetic research, while taking into consideration the role of culture. Nature of ADHD The clinical history of the behavioral syndrome underlying the ADHD diagnosis can be traced back over 200 years in medical literature (Palmer and Finger, 2001). Currently, ADHD is a diagnosis formulated by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 1994) on the basis of clinical criteria. The criteria describes chronic behavioral symptoms of inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are presented to a degree that significantly interfere with a person’s family and peer relations as well as their educational and or occupational functioning. There are, according to the current DSM IV TR criteria, three main sub-types of ADHD: The mainly hyperactive / impulsive sub-type (314...
Words: 2097 - Pages: 9
...The Cause of Depression: Cognitive Perspective Kristin D Simpson-Oloso Psyc3002 Section 05 Cause of Depression Paper Capella University May 2016 Abstract Depression comes in many different forms such as major depression, dysthymia, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and psychotic depression. Along with the many different forms, there are also many symptoms, which include feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities, sleep changes, anger, and irritability, loss of energy, self-loathing, and reckless behavior. Although the exact cause of depression has eluded doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, and researchers since its inception, one of the key roles affecting depression is an individual’s environment. The Cause of Depression: Cognitive Perspective Environmental causes of depression are concerned with factors that are outside of us. They are not directly related to brain function, inherited traits from parents, medical illnesses, or anything else that may take place within us. Instead, environmental events are those things that happen in the course of our everyday lives that we can’t control. Age, community, society, and a person’s neighborhood do play apart in environmental depression. But, the three arguments’ that I will discuss are prolonged stress, childhood difficulties, or traumatic events. Stress and Depression Depression is a problem that is affecting 9% of U.S. Citizens...
Words: 2258 - Pages: 10
...Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Have you ever known someone who struggles with being unorganized, unable to listen, have behavior problems or interrupts conversations frequently? Have you ever thought that their brain is wired a little differently? That question is the essence of ADHD. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is defined as a “persistent pattern of inattention and / or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development (APA, p. 78).” Since there is an abundance of information concerning this topic, this paper will focus on the nature and effects of ADHD, highlighting cognitive and genetic research, while taking into consideration the role of culture. Nature of ADHD The clinical history of the behavioral syndrome underlying the ADHD diagnosis can be traced back over 200 years in medical literature (Palmer and Finger, 2001). Currently, ADHD is a diagnosis formulated by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 1994) on the basis of clinical criteria. The criteria describes chronic behavioral symptoms of inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are presented to a degree that significantly interfere with a person’s family and peer relations as well as their educational and or occupational functioning. There are, according...
Words: 2101 - Pages: 9
...Professional Application Paper Ms. Presley Psy1010 Rebekah Griggs Effects of Autism Disorder on Children What is Autism? Autism can be defined as a disorder of neural development which is characterized by an impaired communication and social interaction as well as by restricted and repetitive behavior. These traits are manifest in a child before he/she is three years old. Autism affects the processing of information in the brain through altering how the nerve cells and their synapses do connect as well as how they organize: the explanation of how this process takes place is not fully understood. There are two other autism spectrum disorders are PDD-NOS which is diagnosed when the full criteria for the other disorders fails to be met and Asperger syndrome which lacks delays in the cognitive development. Scientists have argued that Autism has a strong genetic basis, even though autism genetics are complex and unclear if ASD has any correlation when explaining by the use of basic genetic variant or by the use of rare mutations. In some rare cases autism can be associated to some agents that cause birth defects. There are controversies that surround some other proposed environmental causes such as pesticides, childhood vaccines, and heavy metals. The hypotheses on vaccine have lacked biological plausibility or scientific evidence. The prevalence of ASD is 6 per every 1000 people, with 25% increase in men than in female; on the other hand autism prevalence is about 1...
Words: 1816 - Pages: 8
