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Mental Health Law & Ethics — Civil Commitment, Insanity Defense, and Patients’ Rights Explained | Chapter 14 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology The intersection of psychology and the legal system raises critical questions about individual rights, public safety, and professional responsibility. Chapter 14 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology examines civil and criminal commitment procedures, the insanity defense, patients’ rights, and ethical standards governing research and practice. This guide will help you grasp these complex issues and prepare for exam questions on mental health law and ethics. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer an audio-visual overview? Watch the full summary below and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter guides. Civil Commitment: Balancing Care and Freedom Civil commitment allows involuntary hospitalization of individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others, or who cannot care for their basic needs. Key criteria include: ...

Neurodevelopmental & Neurocognitive Disorders — Characteristics, Causes, and Treatments Explained | Chapter 13 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Brain function can be disrupted at any age. Chapter 13 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology examines disorders emerging in early development—like ADHD and autism—and those marked by cognitive decline later in life—like dementia and delirium. This guide covers key symptoms, risk factors, evidence-based treatments, and prevention strategies across the lifespan. Watch the Chapter Summary For an audio overview, subscribe to Last Minute Lecture and watch the full Chapter 13 summary below. Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurodevelopmental disorders begin in childhood and often persist into adulthood, affecting learning, behavior, and social functioning. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Genetic factors (dopamine dysregulation), smaller b...

Treating Schizophrenia — Symptoms, Causes, and Evidence-Based Treatments Explained | Chapter 12 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Schizophrenia is a chronic psychotic disorder marked by profound distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, and behavior. In Chapter 12 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology , we examine the full spectrum of schizophrenia and related disorders, explore genetic and neurobiological causes, and review both pharmacological and psychosocial treatment strategies. This comprehensive guide will deepen your understanding and aid your exam preparation. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer an audio-visual overview? Subscribe to Last Minute Lecture and watch the full Chapter 12 summary below. Symptoms & Clinical Presentation Positive Symptoms Delusions: Fixed, false beliefs resistant to contradictory evidence (e.g., persecution, Capgras syndrome). Hallucinations: Sensory experiences without external stimuli, most commonly auditory voices. ...

Personality Disorders — Clusters, Causes, and Evidence-Based Treatments Explained | Chapter 11 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Personality disorders are enduring, maladaptive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that emerge in adolescence or early adulthood and cause significant impairment. Chapter 11 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology organizes these disorders into three DSM-5 clusters—A, B, and C—examines their prevalence and risk factors, and reviews effective treatment approaches. This guide will help you master these complex disorders and prepare for your exams. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer audio-visual learning? Watch the full Chapter 11 summary below and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter guides. Overview of Personality Disorders Personality disorders affect up to 10% of adults and often co-occur with other mental health conditions. The DSM-5’s categorical approach places them into three clusters based on shared traits, though a d...

Substance-Related, Addictive, & Impulse-Control Disorders — Causes, Effects, and Treatments Explained | Chapter 10 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Chapter 10 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology examines substance-related and addictive behaviors as well as impulse-control disorders. You’ll learn how various drugs affect the brain and body, what drives compulsive use, and which evidence-based treatments—from medication to behavioral therapies—offer the best outcomes. Use this guide to reinforce your understanding and boost your exam performance. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer an audio-visual overview? Subscribe to Last Minute Lecture and watch the full Chapter 10 summary below. Overview of Substance-Related Disorders Substance-related disorders involve compulsive use of psychoactive substances despite harmful consequences. Key features include tolerance (needing more to achieve the same effect), withdrawal symptoms, and loss of control. Clinicians classify sev...

Sexual Disorders & Gender Dysphoria — Dysfunctions, Paraphilias, and Affirming Treatments Explained | Chapter 9 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Chapter 9 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology explores the complexities of human sexuality—covering sexual dysfunctions, paraphilic disorders, and gender dysphoria—with an emphasis on psychological, biological, and social influences. In this guide, you’ll discover key definitions, underlying causes, and evidence-based treatments to bolster your understanding and exam readiness. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Subscribe to Last Minute Lecture and watch the full Chapter 9 summary below. Sexual Dysfunctions Sexual dysfunctions involve disturbances in sexual desire, arousal, or response. Major disorders include: Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder & Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder: Low or absent desire/arousal. Treatment: CBT, sensate focus therapy, and hormone assessment. Er...

Eating & Sleep-Wake Disorders — Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments Explained | Chapter 8 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Chapter 8 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology examines eating disorders and sleep-wake disorders, highlighting their psychological, biological, and social roots as well as evidence-based treatments. This guide will clarify key definitions, contributing factors, and therapeutic approaches so you can excel in your studies and clinical understanding. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Watch the full Chapter 8 podcast summary below and remember to subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter-by-chapter study guides. Major Eating Disorders Eating disorders involve severe disturbances in eating behaviors driven by fears around weight and body image. Bulimia Nervosa: Recurrent binge-eating followed by compensatory behaviors (vomiting, excessive exercise, laxatives). Treatment: CBT, SSRIs, and structured meal plans. ...

Psychological Influences on Physical Health — Stress, Immune Function, and Behavioral Medicine Explained | Chapter 7 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Health psychology examines how psychological and social factors influence physical well-being. Chapter 7 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology delves into stress physiology, psychoneuroimmunology, psychosocial contributors to disease, and evidence-based behavioral medicine interventions. This summary will guide your understanding of how stress responses, immune function, and psychosocial treatments shape outcomes in cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, cancer, and more. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Watch the full Chapter 7 summary below and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter-by-chapter study guides. Stress and Health: From GAS to Self-Efficacy Stress activates the body’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), a three-stage response proposed by Hans Selye: alarm, resistance, and exh...

Understanding & Treating Mood Disorders — Causes, Symptoms, and Evidence-Based Treatments | Chapter 6 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Mood disorders involve profound disturbances in emotional states, from the depths of depression to the highs of mania. In Chapter 6 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology , you’ll learn how unipolar and bipolar disorders are defined, what factors contribute to their development, and which treatments have the strongest evidence for effectiveness. This guide will help you master key concepts and prepare for exams. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer an audio-visual overview? Subscribe to Last Minute Lecture and watch the full Chapter 6 summary below. Defining Mood Disorders Mood disorders are classified as unipolar (depression only) or bipolar (alternating depressive and manic episodes). Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) features at least two weeks of low mood, anhedonia, cognitive impairment, and physical symptoms. Persistent Depressive...

Somatic Symptom & Dissociative Disorders Explained — Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments | Chapter 5 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Chapter 5 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology delves into disorders that blur the line between mind and body—somatic symptom disorders—and those that fracture identity and memory—dissociative disorders. We’ll define each disorder, explore their underlying mechanisms, and review evidence-based treatments to help you master these concepts for exams and clinical practice. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Watch the full Chapter 5 podcast summary below—and don’t forget to subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter guides. Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders Somatic symptom disorders involve excessive focus on physical symptoms without clear medical cause. Key disorders include: Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD): Persistent distress about physical symptoms. Treatment: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)...

Treating Anxiety & Related Disorders: Anxiety, Trauma, and OCD Treatments Explained | Chapter 4 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Chapter 4 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology examines anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You will learn the difference between anxiety and fear, the triple vulnerability model, the defining features of major disorders, and the most effective treatment approaches. Use this guide to reinforce your exam preparation and deepen your clinical understanding. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Watch the full chapter summary below and remember to subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for step-by-step textbook guides. Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Defined Anxiety is a future-oriented state characterized by tension and physiological arousal. Fear is an immediate response to present danger. Panic attacks are sudden surges of intense fear that may be expected (triggered by a situation) or u...

Assessment and Diagnosis in Psychopathology — Clinical Methods, DSM-5, and Research Designs Explained | Chapter 3 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Accurate assessment and diagnosis form the backbone of effective treatment in abnormal psychology. Chapter 3 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology covers the tools clinicians use to evaluate mental disorders, the DSM-5 classification system, and the research designs that advance our understanding of psychopathology. In this post, we’ll explore clinical interviews, psychological testing, neuroimaging, DSM-5 innovations and limitations, research methodologies, and ethical principles guiding psychological studies. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer an audio-visual overview? Subscribe to Last Minute Lecture and watch the full Chapter 3 summary below. Clinical Assessment Techniques Clinical assessment systematically gathers information to diagnose psychological disorders. Core methods include: Clinical Interviews: Structure...

Understanding Psychopathology — The Multidimensional Integrative Approach, Diathesis-Stress, and Neuroscience | Chapter 2 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Psychopathology is rarely caused by a single factor. Chapter 2 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology introduces the multidimensional integrative model, showing how biological, psychological, emotional, social, and developmental influences interact to produce mental disorders. In this summary, we’ll examine the diathesis-stress and gene-environment correlation models, the emerging field of epigenetics, key neuroscience insights, and the roles of cognition, emotion, culture, and lifespan development. Use this guide to deepen your understanding and ace your exams. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Watch the full chapter summary below and be sure to subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter-based study guides. The Multidimensional Integrative Approach Gone are the days of single-cause theo...

Introduction to Abnormal Psychology — Definitions, History, and Key Theories Explained | Chapter 1 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Abnormal psychology is the scientific study of unusual patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion, often associated with psychological disorders. Chapter 1 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology lays the foundation for understanding what defines abnormal behavior, how perspectives on mental health have evolved, and the integrative models that guide contemporary practice. This summary covers the definitions, historical developments, key theories, and essential concepts you’ll need for exam success. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer to learn by listening? Watch the full podcast summary below and don’t forget to subscribe to the Last Minute Lecture channel for more chapter-based study guides. Defining Abnormal Behavior Abnormal behavior is typically defined as actions or patterns that cause significant distress, impair daily functioning, or...