Class 12 Psychology - CBSE
Psychological Disorders
The Chapter 4 'Psychological Disorders' in CBSE Class 12 Psychology explores the historical background of psychological abnormality, criteria for abnormal behavior, and the DSM/ICD classification systems. It delves into major psychological disorders including anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, dissociative disorders, mood disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism. Understanding this chapter is crucial for board exams as it carries substantial weightage, featuring both short-answer case studies and long-answer theoretical questions that test your ability to differentiate between various clinical conditions and recognize symptoms.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Abnormal Behaviour
Behavior that is deviant, distressful, dysfunctional, and dangerous, making it difficult for an individual to adapt to daily life demands.
Anxiety Disorders
A group of disorders characterized by persistent, excessive fear and anxiety accompanied by physiological arousal, including generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.
Schizophrenia
A serious psychotic disorder involving distortions in reality, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and catatonic behavior.
Mood Disorders
Affective disorders marked by severe disturbances in emotion, ranging from extreme depression to manic highs, such as Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder.
Somatoform Disorders
Conditions where individuals experience physical symptoms of illness without any demonstrable organic or medical cause, driven by psychological factors.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the CBSE Class 12 Psychology board exam, this chapter is part of Unit IV (Psychological Disorders) and typically carries around 7 to 10 marks. Questions frequently include case-based applications where you must diagnose a disorder from a given scenario, distinguish between similar disorders (like obsessions vs. compulsions or delusions vs. hallucinations), and write long answers explaining the symptoms and causes of schizophrenia or mood disorders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a delusion and a hallucination?
A delusion is a fixed, false belief that is resistant to reason (e.g., believing someone is plotting against you), while a hallucination is a sensory perception experienced without external stimuli (e.g., hearing voices that aren't there).
How do I differentiate between unipolar and bipolar mood disorders?
Unipolar depression involves only low, depressive emotional states, whereas bipolar disorder involves swings between emotional extremes, alternating between episodes of depression and mania.
Are case studies mandatory for this chapter in the board exam?
Yes, CBSE frequently asks 1-mark or 4-mark application-based case studies where you are given a short patient profile and must identify the correct psychological disorder.
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