Category: M
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Medical ethics
The moral code adopted by health professionals in assigning primary value to their patients’ needs and interests. The values most commonly applied to medical ethics discussions are autonomy (the patient’s right to refuse or choose treatment), beneficence (the best interest of the patient), non-maleficence (“First, do no harm”), justice (concerns about the distribution of scarce…
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Medicaid
Means-tested entitlement program, financed jointly by the state and federal governments, that provides medical services to people with low incomes. States must offer certain services, including inpatient and outpatient hospital services, physicians’ (including psychiatrists) services, clinical laboratory and X-ray services, and home health services. Additional coverage of persons with mental illnesses is limited. For programs…
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Medial frontal syndrome
One of the principal frontal lobe syndromes. It is characterized by scarcity of movement, sparse verbal output, lower-extremity weakness, and incontinence.
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Maturational crises
Predictable life events or turning points that occur for most individuals in the course of development.
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Mathematics disorder
A developmental arithmetic disorder. It is a learning disorder characterized by a substantially lower than expected mathematical ability, given the subject’s chronological age, measured intelligence, and age-appropriate education.
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Maternal deprivation
The result of the premature loss or absence of the mother or the lack of proper mothering. A lack of adequate care and stimulation by the mother or mother surrogate. A psychological condition caused when a child does not have a proper relationship with a mother.
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Masochism
Pleasure derived from physical or psychological pain inflicted on oneself either by oneself or by others. It is called sexual masochism and classified as a paraphilia when it is consciously sought as a part of the sexual act or as a prerequisite to sexual gratification. It is the converse of sexual sadism, although the two…
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Masculine protest
A term coined by Alfred Adler (1870–1937) to describe a striving to escape identification with the feminine role. Applies primarily to women but also may be noted in men.
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Masculine
Referring to a set of sex-specific social role behaviors that is unrelated to procreative biological function.
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Marital therapy
A treatment whose goal is to ameliorate the problems of married couples. Various psychodynamic, sexual, ethical, and economic aspects of marriage are considered. Husband and wife usually are seen individually or conjointly. A broader term is couples therapy, which encompasses unmarried couples. Professional intervention which treats a couple for significant marital issues.