C3: MH: Topic 1 Flashcards
Outline the three definitions to define abnormality
Statistical infrequency: certain behaviours are statistically rare
Deviation from social norms: behaviours that’s socially deviant is regarded abnormal
Maladaptiveness: psychological distress or discomfort
Describe statistical infrequency
A person’s trait / thinking / behaviour is classified abnormal if rare / statistically unusual
So should be clear about how rare a trait needs to be before classing it abnormal
Describe the problems / weaknesses of statistical infrequency
- just because some traits are rare doesn’t means they’re undesirable (v high intelligence)
- some regarded as abnormal even if they’re quite frequent (depression affects almost 30% of elderly)
Describe deviation from social norms
Thinking / behaviour classified abnormal if violates (unwritten) rules of ‘acceptable’ behaviour in a particular social group / society
(E.g. Behaviour that’s incomprehensible to others but normal to them)
Describe the problems / weaknesses with having social norms
- social norms change between cultures + so do conceptions of abnormality over time
(Homosexuality regarded a mental illness til 1973) - classification of abnormality can only be based on context in which behaviours occur
Describe Maladaptiveness
Says people are abnormal when behaviour suggests they can’t cope w/ everyday life e.g. If ability to work is disrupted
Describe the problems / weaknesses with Maladaptiveness
- adequate functioning defined largely by social norms
- most people fail to function adequately at some point, but aren’t considered ‘abnormal’ e.g. After a bereavement
Describe the historical views on mental health in the ancient period.
Supernatural
Treated with trephining
Describe historical views on mental health in the Middle Ages.
Regarded a curse from God as punishment for sins
Cared for by family, maybe church,
With holy water, prayers etc
Describe historical views on mental health in 16th - 17th centuries.
Start of ‘medical regime’
Popular treatments = bleeding, purging, cold bathing
Describe historical views on mental health in the 18th century.
Madhouses e.g. Bedlam
Later people began implementing for more humane procedures
Classification of disorders began
Describe historical views on mental health in the 19th century.
Asylums
Laws introduced to ensure authorities deal with the ‘insane’
Poor conditions + treatment in madhouses condemned by parliament, so then major reforms
Describe historical views on mental health in the first half of the 19th century.
Asylums shut down
Electric shocks
Insulin induced comas
Drugs + anti-psychotic medications
Describe historical views on mental health in the second half of the 19th century.
Belief individuals may just be born w/ genetic predisposition for disorders
Use of general hospital psychiatric units
Tranquillisers, sedatives, sleeping pills
Describe a strength of statistical infrequency to define abnormality
It’s an objective judgement so is reliable
Describe a strength for deviation from social norms to define abnormality
Is quick and easy if within one culture
Describe a strength of Maladaptiveness to define abnormality
Allows for individual differences
Describe the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual to categorise and treat mental disorders
Attempts to highlights social + cultural differences in diagnosis
Entries organised by developmental lifespan
Used mainly in USA
Describe the International Classification of Diseases to categorise and treat mental disorders
Widely used across world
Categorises physical + psychological illness
11 categories of dysfunctional behaviour linked to mental health
Each disorder given a code
Describe the issues with categorising and diagnosing mental health
- labelling things as ‘illnesses’ when they aren’t, as it usually means treatments follow, so sometimes completely unnecessary drugs
- diagnosis = personal + subjective + influenced by culture + upbringing of practitioner
- inter-rater reliability between practitioners is questionable
- uses a v general one size fits all approach
- so questionable reliability + validity, shown by rosenhan
Describe the anti-psychiatry movement
They object to classification system of disorders as see it as too rigid
+ believe it increases suffering of those w/ a mental health diagnosis through labelling + removing their autonomy
Describe the characteristics of anxiety disorders, such as phobias
- Excessive, persistent, unreasonable fear
- person recognises it’s unreasonable
- disrupts a person’s normal life
- physical symptoms upon exposure , e.g. Shortness of breath, loss of control, terror
- has lasted 6months+ in an under 18 yr old
Describe the characteristics of affective disorders, such as depression
- insomnia, fidgeting / lethargy, tiredness
- guilt / worthlessness, inability to concentrate
- recurrent thoughts of death
- general withdrawal from others
Describe the characteristics of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia
- delusions, hallucinations
- disorganised speech + behaviour
- at least 6 months
- social / occupational dysfunction
