AP Psychology Lesson: Dissociative and Trauma- and Stress-Related Disorders

Unit: Mental and Physical Health | Lesson: 5 of 8 | Topic: Dissociative and Trauma- and Stress-Related Disorders
AP Exam Weighting: 15%–25%
Instructions: Complete this lesson during class by filling in the blanks and answering questions. All information needed is provided or will be researched in class. This lesson prepares you for the AP Psychology exam by exploring dissociative and trauma-related disorders. Use the provided spaces to write your answers clearly, focusing on applying concepts critically.

Warm-Up

Purpose: Get you thinking about how trauma affects mental processes.
Questions:

  1. How might a traumatic event change someone’s behavior?
  2. Why might someone feel disconnected from their identity after stress?
    Your Answers: Write a short response (1–2 sentences) for each question.

Key Concepts

Instructions: Read the information below and answer the questions to learn core AP concepts. For definitions, write them in your own words based on the content or look up a different definition if directed by your teacher (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar).
Content: Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in identity, memory, or consciousness (e.g., dissociative identity disorder, DID). Trauma- and stress-related disorders like PTSD result from traumatic events, causing flashbacks or hypervigilance. Example: A person with PTSD avoids crowds due to trauma triggers. The amygdala plays a key role in fear responses for these disorders. Diagnosis uses DSM-5 criteria. Environmental stressors (e.g., abuse) and biological factors (e.g., amygdala hyperactivity) contribute. These disorders affect behaviors like memory or emotional regulation.

  1. Define dissociative disorders in your own words: _______________________________
  2. Define trauma- and stress-related disorders in your own words: _______________________________
  3. Define amygdala in your own words: _______________________________
  4. Explain how a dissociative disorder influences a behavior, using a specific example:
  1. Explain how a trauma-related disorder influences a behavior, using a different example:
  1. How does the amygdala contribute to trauma-related symptoms?
  1. Why might environmental stressors trigger dissociative disorders?
  1. How does the DSM-5 ensure accurate diagnosis of these disorders?

Guided Activity

Instructions: Work in pairs to complete the two tasks below. Write your answers and be prepared to share one key point from each task with the class.
Task 1: Scenario Analysis: Scenario: A person with PTSD avoids fireworks due to war trauma. Analyze how a trauma-related disorder and the amygdala contribute to their behavior. For example, consider how symptoms or brain activity drive avoidance.
Your Response for Task 1: Explain the role of each concept in the behavior.

Class Share for Task 1: Note one point you’ll share.

Task 2: Case Application: Imagine a person with DID switches identities under stress. Apply the concepts of dissociative disorders and DSM-5 criteria to explain their diagnosis. For example, evaluate how symptoms or diagnostic standards guide identification.
Your Response for Task 2: Apply the concepts to explain the diagnosis.

Class Share for Task 2: Note one point you’ll share.

Class Assignment: Refer to the assignment file for this lesson

Instructions: Complete the tasks below to deepen your understanding of dissociative and trauma-related disorders.
Study Summary 1: A 2018 study found that amygdala hyperactivity was linked to PTSD symptoms in trauma survivors.
Question 1: How does this study demonstrate the role of the amygdala in trauma-related disorders, and what might improve treatment outcomes?

Study Summary 2: A 2020 study showed that therapy reduced dissociative symptoms in patients with DID by addressing trauma.
Question 2: Evaluate how this study illustrates the impact of environmental factors on dissociative disorders, and suggest one limitation of its findings.

AP Exam Connection: This practices analyzing and evaluating research, a key skill for FRQs.

AP Exam Practice

Instructions: Answer the question below. We’ll review answers as a class to learn exam strategies.
Free-Response Question (FRQ):
Explain how dissociative disorders, trauma- and stress-related disorders, and the amygdala interact to influence a specific behavior (e.g., avoidance or identity changes). Provide one example for each factor (dissociative disorders, trauma-related disorders, amygdala) and analyze how they interact to shape the behavior.

Closure

Instructions: Write a brief summary (2–3 sentences) of two key ideas you learned today about how dissociative and trauma-related disorders affect behavior.

Extended Practice

Instructions: Complete the tasks below based on today’s lesson to reinforce AP skills.

  1. Review your answers from this lesson.
  2. Write a detailed paragraph (5–7 sentences) applying today’s topic to a real-life scenario (e.g., how a disorder affects someone’s daily life). Include references to dissociative disorders, trauma-related disorders, and the amygdala, and explain their interaction.
  1. Find a short article or study on dissociative or trauma-related disorders (e.g., via apa.org) and write 2–3 sentences summarizing its relevance to today’s lesson. Cite the source (e.g., website or article title).
Last modified: Wednesday, 6 August 2025, 8:24 PM