Chapter 11: The Conceptualisation of Normality & Mental Health Flashcards
What is normal behaviour?
Typically, a behaviour is considered to be normal when it helps a person to assimilate appropriately into their society or culture.
What is abnormal behaviour?
Behaviour that is viewed as ‘out of the ordinary’. These behaviours go against societal and cultural norms, may reflect some kind of impairment, or consist of unwelcome behaviours.
What is meant by adaptive behaviours?
Behaviors or skills developed as we age (and with experience) to assist in our ability to relate to others, become independent and function on a daily basis. This is influenced by factors such as: -resilience -happy and secure home environment -financial security
What is meant by maladaptive behaviours?
Behaviors developed in early childhood as a means of reducing anxiety, or as a coping mechanism. These behaviors interfere with a persons ability to function on a daily basis and impair their adjustment to different situations.
Eg. Tantrums, self harm, screaming.
What are mental disorders best defined as?
A recognized, medically diagnosable illness that results in the significant impairment of an individual’s cognitive, emotional and relational abilities. Mental disorders can result from biological, developmental and/or psychosocial factors and usually require treatment to be alleviated.
List some of the behavioral symptoms of the 4 stages of the ‘mental health continuum model.’
Healthy (normal functioning): normal mood fluctuations, calm & takes stride, good sense of humor, good level of energy.
Reacting (common & reversible distress): irritable/impatient, sadness/overwhelmed, displaced sarcasm, low energy.
Injured (significant functional impairment): anger, anxiety, negative attitude, increased fatigue.
Mental disorder (severe & persistent functional impairment): angry outbursts/aggression, excessive anxiety/panic attacks, depressed/suicidal thoughts, constant fatigue.
What is the situational approach to normality?
How we behave in specific situations can classify our behaviour as being normal or not.
For example; it is normal to laugh at a friends joke, but not when someone is delivering a eulogy at a funeral.
What is the societal and cultural approach to normality?
Within a society there are norms and rules that govern our social behaviour. These can be linked to our ethnic and cultural background. The way we interact with others, the way we dress, and what we eat can all be bases on societal rules and expectations.
What is the historical approach to normality?
The concept of normality is embedded in history and changes over time. For example: fashion, what your grandparents wore is probably a lot different to what you wear today.
What is the statistical approach to normality?
Normality can be defined in terms of the frequency with which a behaviour or characteristic occurs within the population.
Eg. An extremely tall girl whose family is short may not be considered normal, his beer if the girls family is tall it is considered normal for that population (her family.)
What is the functional approach to normality?
A person who can think, feel and behave in a manner that allows them to carry out the activities they wish to do and be a productive member of society is considered normal.
Eg. Avoiding a party because you don’t know anyone there. It is when these thoughts, feelings and behaviours become intense and interfere with normal activities that a mental disorder may exist.
What is the medical approach to normality?
Determines the persons state of mental health by a set of symptoms that may have genetic, biochemical or physical origins.
Eg. A person suffering from a mood disorder such as depression may need anti depressant medication to balance the chemical imbalance in the brain and relieve the persons persistent sadness.
