(2)🔮 failure to function adequately Flashcards
how is an individual defined as abnormal?
if they cause distress to themselves or others because they struggle to meet basic demands of daily life (eg: maintaining nutrition, hygiene, employment, relationships)
who operationalised the FFA definition by providing a criteria
Rosenhan and Seligman (1989)
what is the FFA critera?
behaviour is consisdered abnormal if it meets one of or more of the following list
name 4 points off the FFA critera
- severe personal distress
- inability to conform to social norms when interactions with others (e.g. respecting personal space, maintaining eye contact)
- irrational behaviour
- posing a danger to oneself or others
✅ includes individuals subjective + 🦄
evidence: diagnosised only when abnormal traits hinder everyday functioning; e.g. someone with low IQ recieves an IDD label only when it negatively impacts their life, not because it’s statistically infrequent.
explain: considers personal experiences, so prevents unnecessary labelling and targets help towards those who truly need it.
🦄: subjective nature in assessing one’s coping abilities. determining whether someone is coping relies on subjective opinion, which can vary widely. lack of objectivity in this definition
❌ - confusion between whether people are failing to function or simply
deviating from social norms
evidence: some make non-standard lifestyle choices, leading to labelling unconventional behaviours as abnormal.
explain: could discourage individuals from expressing themselves or restrict their freedom.
❌ - doesn’t recognise individuals going through a temporary hard time
evidence: studies show grieving individuals often struggle to function in their daily lives, experiencing distress, difficulties maintaining basic needs like nutrition and hygiene, etc..
explain: these struggles are a natural response to emotional pain but can result in unnecessary labels. therefore, must recognise temporary difficulties.
