Chapter 1 - Introduction to Abnormal Behaviour (Topic 4)

Question 1

what is the fraction of Canadians that suffer from a mental disorder

Answer 1

1 in 5

Question 2

what is the fraction of hospitalized individuals because of a psychiatric disorder

Answer 2

1 in 5

Question 3

what are the different names for Abnormal Psychology in Everyday Language

Answer 3

Psychosis/Psychotic
Insanity
Nervous Breakdown
Delusional
Panic Attack
Schizophrenic

Question 4

What is Abnormal Psychology?

Answer 4

The application of psychological science to the study of mental disorders - most directly concerned with understanding the nature of individual pathologies of mind, mood, and behaviour

Question 5

what is the Discontinuity hypothesis in abnormal psychology

Answer 5

Only strong terms can accurately portray true nature of abnormal behavior
Do or Don’t

Question 6

what is the Continuity hypothesis in abnormal psychology

Answer 6

Insanity and mental illness terms should not be used
Mental disorder best viewed as continuum that varies between mental health to mental illness
Optimal Mental Health ←→ Minimal Mental Health

Question 7

what is considered abnormal

Answer 7

Distress or disability (social, cognitive, occupation) level of subjective distress
Statistical rarity
Violation of moral and ideal standards
Personal discomfort

Question 8

what is the Problem With Distress as a criteria for abnormal psychology

Answer 8

Not all distressed individuals are mentally ill (they live functional lives) & some mentally ill individuals do not show distress (psychopaths)

Question 9

what is the Problem With Statistical Deviation fo abnormal psychology

Answer 9

No all deviations are described the same
“Positive” deviations are not distinguished from “negative” deviations
We do not want to call all “negative deviations a disorder
2 SD below a norm = mental retardation
2 SD above a norm = elite intellectual ability

Question 10

what is the Problem With Norms as a criteria for abnormal psychology

Answer 10

Societal norms may change which behaviours are deemed abnormal.
Such a criteria can seem too arbitrary and open to abuse

Question 11

what is Wakefield’s Requirement of “Harmful Dysfunction”

Answer 11

hybrid model - understand continuity vs discontinuity

1) inability of a mental capacity to perform its natural (evolutionary) function
2) harm to the person as judged by the standards of the person’s culture

Question 12

what are the Supernatural Theories

Answer 12

Early views linked psychological disorders with evil
Resulted in more harmful treatments to drive the spirits out

Question 13

what is the Historical Perspective

Answer 13

Spiritual/religious tradition
Exorcisms
Trephining
Blood letting

Question 14

what is the Biological Theories/Somatogenic Perspective

Answer 14

Hippocrates- argued that deviant behavior was result of physical causes
Ancient Greece: four humors of body (blood, phlegm, bile) – excess black bile leads to depression, excess yellow bile leads to irratibility
Thought cognitive functioning could be restored by balancing the four humors in body

Question 15

what happened in the 1300s regarding Witchcraft

Answer 15

Hallucinations & delusions–evidence of witchcraft.
Most accused were not mentally ill, but forced to confess crimes they didn’t commit.
Treatment: beatings/death by hanging or burning.

Question 16

what did Philippe Pinel (1792) do

Answer 16

removed chains from mental patients

Question 17

what did Dorothea Dix do

Answer 17

movement towards treatment in US and Canada
Creation of rural asylums (overcrowding problems)
Movement towards deinstitutionalization
If someone exhibited abnormal behaviour the were institutional

Question 18

what are the 5 types of therapists

Answer 18

Clinical social worker (M.S.W)
Clinical psychologist (Ph.D., C.Psych)
Counselling psychologist (Ph.D., Psy.D.)
Psychiatrist (M.D.)
Marriage & Family Therapist (M.F.T.)

Question 19

what is Etiology

Answer 19

The factors that cause or contribute to the development of psychological

Question 20

what is the biological etiology approach to disorders

Answer 20

Biological approaches assume structural abnormalities, biochemical processes, and genetic influences

Question 21

what is the Psychological etiology approach to disorders

Answer 21

Psychological approaches focus on personal experiences, traumas, conflicts, and environmental factors as roots of disorders

Question 22

should mental health judgements be subjective or objective

Answer 22

Important for mental health judgments to be objective

Question 23

what did David Rosehan do

Answer 23

given diagnoses – bipolar, schizophrenia (even upon discharge)
Rosenhan’s associates were Malingering (pretending) symptoms of hearing voices.
They were ALL admitted for schizophrenia.
None were exposed as imposters.
They all left diagnosed with schizophrenia in remission.

Question 24

how does Values, beliefs, and practices of a group affect how behaviour is viewed as normal or abnormal

Answer 24

Culture is a dynamic process – it changes continuously as a result of actions of individuals and the group
How cultures/societies respond to mental illness and can very greatly

Question 25

what are the current trends revolving psychology

Answer 25

Positive Psychology – mental disorder vs. mental well-being, happiness, optimism, coping, resilience
Cyber Therapy – greater access
Mental Health & Technology
Privacy/Confidentiality