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Casebook in Abnormal Psychology - 3rd Edition
Casebook in Abnormal Psychology 3RD EDITION by Timothy A. Brown. Wadsworth, Inc,2007
Paperback
First published September 24, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 7, 2026
Brown and Barlow's casebook provides seventeen potent chapters each covering a DSM 5 diagnosis: one patient's clinical story, their history and presenting symptoms and behaviors, the integrated biopsychosocial model for each disorder's development, their treatment goals and planning, the course of their treatment, and a discussion.
A casebook allows theories to be seen in actual patients, showing how thoughts, behaviors, and environments really interact to create the cycles of suffering we see in mental illness. Seeing how emotional problems actually manifest at the N of 1 level is necessary in order to understand these theories. This should not be very surprising.
The writers are CBT oriented, to be clear. There is very little treatment of other approaches other than acknowledging the impact of genetic and biological factors.
For me, the most interesting chapter was on panic disorder which elucidated one of the most effective perspectives and treatments on mental illness that exist (87% of completers respond to treatment). We get the sense that we very much understand why and how panic disorder comes about compared to others.
I read this book too late, in my opinion. It fares best as a text you read to understand the CBT approach to mental disorders. Probably should be the third or fourth psychotherapy text you read (if you're into that sort of thing).
"A central factor of this nature in panic disorder is the emergence of anxiety over the possibility of additional attacks (Barlow, 2002). This anxiety, which is also focused on the specific physical sensations that might signal the next attack, is characterized by a strong sense of uncontrollability and cognitive distortions regarding the consequences or meaning of the attack and its associated symptoms. These cognition distortions are usually related to unrealistic inferences that the panic attack may be a sign of, or result in, physical harm (e.g., heart attack, stroke) or to fears of going crazy or losing control (e.g., a sign of schizophrenia or nervous breakdown; extreme embarrassment due to screaming, fleeing, and the like). [...]
In the instance of external cues, if a person has a panic attack in a certain situation, he or she may be apprehensive of or avoid this situation in the future because the situation becomes a cue for future panic attacks. [...] In the instance of internal cues, people who experience unexpected panic attacks may quickly begin to associate the physical sensations that occur during their attacks with the panic attack itself. The specific term for this process is interoceptive conditioning, which means that if certain physical sensations (e.g., rapid heart rate are repeatedly associated with fear (as would occur in a panic attack), then the sensation itself may acquire the ability to produce anxiety or fear (e.g., vigorous exercise produces an increase in heart rate, which, in turn, produces anxiety or panic due to interoceptive conditioning).”
Pg 21-22
A casebook allows theories to be seen in actual patients, showing how thoughts, behaviors, and environments really interact to create the cycles of suffering we see in mental illness. Seeing how emotional problems actually manifest at the N of 1 level is necessary in order to understand these theories. This should not be very surprising.
The writers are CBT oriented, to be clear. There is very little treatment of other approaches other than acknowledging the impact of genetic and biological factors.
For me, the most interesting chapter was on panic disorder which elucidated one of the most effective perspectives and treatments on mental illness that exist (87% of completers respond to treatment). We get the sense that we very much understand why and how panic disorder comes about compared to others.
I read this book too late, in my opinion. It fares best as a text you read to understand the CBT approach to mental disorders. Probably should be the third or fourth psychotherapy text you read (if you're into that sort of thing).
"A central factor of this nature in panic disorder is the emergence of anxiety over the possibility of additional attacks (Barlow, 2002). This anxiety, which is also focused on the specific physical sensations that might signal the next attack, is characterized by a strong sense of uncontrollability and cognitive distortions regarding the consequences or meaning of the attack and its associated symptoms. These cognition distortions are usually related to unrealistic inferences that the panic attack may be a sign of, or result in, physical harm (e.g., heart attack, stroke) or to fears of going crazy or losing control (e.g., a sign of schizophrenia or nervous breakdown; extreme embarrassment due to screaming, fleeing, and the like). [...]
In the instance of external cues, if a person has a panic attack in a certain situation, he or she may be apprehensive of or avoid this situation in the future because the situation becomes a cue for future panic attacks. [...] In the instance of internal cues, people who experience unexpected panic attacks may quickly begin to associate the physical sensations that occur during their attacks with the panic attack itself. The specific term for this process is interoceptive conditioning, which means that if certain physical sensations (e.g., rapid heart rate are repeatedly associated with fear (as would occur in a panic attack), then the sensation itself may acquire the ability to produce anxiety or fear (e.g., vigorous exercise produces an increase in heart rate, which, in turn, produces anxiety or panic due to interoceptive conditioning).”
Pg 21-22
August 10, 2018
A warning to this text. The DSM used in the book is the 4th revised edition. As of writing this now, there is a new DSM edition published.
This book covers the more popular seen mental illnesses. It also tends to follow stereotypical layout ie, the highest percentage of people with BPD are women, therefore, we will depict a woman case (when it could have been interesting to see a male aspect) or an autistic case featuring a young boy cause more boys are struck with the condition. Not to say that this didn't make it a good reference its just I've read multiple case study books and although this included different races and variety of ages some things were followed a stereotypical line of things.
Positives of this book are that the layout of each case is well defined and shows that more than just one thing may affect each person in their case study ie bulimia with depression too. A nice touch since a few books that involved case studies focused on one diagnosis mainly. The case studies are also interesting and easy to read.
A downside to the book is that two case studies are provided for you to decide but the authors don't provide an answer t the case study nor a treatment outcome for the featured person.
This book covers the more popular seen mental illnesses. It also tends to follow stereotypical layout ie, the highest percentage of people with BPD are women, therefore, we will depict a woman case (when it could have been interesting to see a male aspect) or an autistic case featuring a young boy cause more boys are struck with the condition. Not to say that this didn't make it a good reference its just I've read multiple case study books and although this included different races and variety of ages some things were followed a stereotypical line of things.
Positives of this book are that the layout of each case is well defined and shows that more than just one thing may affect each person in their case study ie bulimia with depression too. A nice touch since a few books that involved case studies focused on one diagnosis mainly. The case studies are also interesting and easy to read.
A downside to the book is that two case studies are provided for you to decide but the authors don't provide an answer t the case study nor a treatment outcome for the featured person.
October 14, 2020
A very good reference book. It outlines the integrative approach and provides lots of statistics to understand disorders better. I learnt a lot of things from reading it.
However, this book is not without its flaws. It follows the DSM IV TR which is no longer in use, and the multiaxial model has been discarded by the DSM V. Also, I wish there had been more variety in the cases.
However, this book is not without its flaws. It follows the DSM IV TR which is no longer in use, and the multiaxial model has been discarded by the DSM V. Also, I wish there had been more variety in the cases.
July 19, 2010
I thought this book was interesting and valuable for the extensive details it gives on treatment regimens for mental illness, and also for the fact that it profiles some less commonly covered problems including erectile dysfunction, domestic violence and pedophila. The pedophila entry in particular was enlightening. I knew there was such a thing as sex offender treatment but before reading this I had no idea what the treatment entailed. I do wish the book had gone more into the medication aspects of treatment, however.
I would recommend this for mental health clinicians and anyone interested in psychology and mental illness.
I would recommend this for mental health clinicians and anyone interested in psychology and mental illness.
October 12, 2007
Great case studies.
Read
January 6, 2013Read this for my Abnormal Psych class. Interesting
August 27, 2014
It's been many years but I was obssessed with this book Awesome
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews