Understanding Dissociative and Adjustment Disorders Term Paper by Nicky

Understanding Dissociative and Adjustment Disorders
A review of studies on dissociative and adjustment disorders.
# 148768 | 1,284 words | 4 sources | APA | 2011 | US
Published on Nov 05, 2011 in Psychology (Child and Adolescent) , Psychology (Disorders) , Child, Youth Issues (General)


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Description:

The paper explains dissociative disorders, the broad class of psychological disorders that involve the breakdown of various elements of personality, memory, and/or identity. The paper reviews two studies that each approach the understanding of dissociative disorders differently. The paper then looks at studies on adjustment disorders and how they reveal that the primary cause of these disorders is environmental or "nurture" based.

Outline:
Part A: Dissociative Disorder
Part B: Adjustment Disorder

From the Paper:

"There are many similarities in both the symptoms displayed and the underlying causes of dissociative disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, and for this reason it seemed a reasonable supposition that the physiological effects and causes of the two disorders might also be similar. This is the supposition that Irie et al (2009) tested in their study, which measured the size of the amygdala and hippocampus in the brains of post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers and those with a dissociative disorder compared to these structures in other individuals. It had been previously noted that these structures were markedly reduced in many patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder resulting combat exposure, childhood abuse, or traumatic accidents, and the researchers wished to see if a similar size reduction in these areas of the brain accompanied the similar symptoms of dissociative disorder, as both disorders can lead to similar destructive and violent behaviors (Irie et al 2009).
"The researchers found, however, that there was no change in the size of the amygdala or hippocampus in patients that were diagnosed with dissociative disorder that could compare to that found in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (Irie et al 2009). Though the results of this study are from exhaustive in its attempt to determine underlying physiological causes of dissociative disorder, it does serve as further evidence that the disorder is likely purely psychological in nature, rather than physiological or neurological (irie et al 2009). Understanding this could provide valuable insights as to how to treat dissociative disorders."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Baumeister, H.; Maercker, A.; Casey, P. (2009). "Adjustment disorder with depressed mood." Psychopathology, 42(3), pp. 139-47.
  • Hazen, A.; Connelly, C.; Roesch, S.; Hough, R.; Landsverk, J. (2009). Journal of interpersonal violence, 24(2), pp. 361-78.
  • Irie, E.; Lange, C.; Sachsse, U.; Weniger, G. (2009). "Further evidence that post-traumatic stress disorder but not dissociative disorders are related to amygdala and hippocampal size reduction in trauma-exposed individuals." Acta psychiactrica scandinavica, 119(4), pp. 330-1.
  • Sho, N.; Oiji, A.; Konno, C.; Toyohara, K.; Minami, T.; Arai, T.; Seike, Y. (2009). "Relationship of intentional self-harm using sharp objects with depressive and dissociative tendencies in pre-adolescence-adolescence." Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 63(3), pp. 410-6.

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

Understanding Dissociative and Adjustment Disorders (2011, November 05) Retrieved September 24, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/understanding-dissociative-and-adjustment-disorders-148768/

MLA Format

"Understanding Dissociative and Adjustment Disorders" 05 November 2011. Web. 24 September. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/understanding-dissociative-and-adjustment-disorders-148768/>

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