Defining Abnormality: Failure to Function Adequately

Question 1

What are the FOUR definitions of abnormality?

Answer 1

1. Statistical infrequency
2. Deviation from social norms
3. Failure to function adequately
4. Deviation from mental state

Question 2

Who produced the definition of failure to function adequately?

Answer 2

Rosenhan and Seligman (1989)

Question 3

What is the 6 criteria for the failure to function adequately

Answer 3

• Personal distress
• Maladaptive behaviour
• Irrationality and incomprehensibility
• Unpredictability and loss of control
• Observer discomfort
• Violation of moral standards

Question 4

What is personal distress?

Answer 4

The person is upset or depressed

Question 5

What is maladaptive behaviour?

Answer 5

Behaviour that prevents an individual from achieving major life activities

Unable to carry out everyday activities

Question 6

What are irrationality and incomprehensibility?

Answer 6

There appears to be no good reason why the person should choose to behave that way

Others cannot understand that behaviour

Question 7

What is the unpredictability and loss of control?

Answer 7

Behaviour is often unexpected in a given situation

Person might not be able to manage their emotions

Question 8

What is the observer’s discomfort?

Answer 8

A persons behaviour could make others feel uncomfortable

Question 9

What is violation of moral standards?

Answer 9

Behaviour that differs substantially from that you would expect in a given situation

Question 10

Example 1 of failure to function adequately

Drug addiction

Answer 10

Drug addict not seeing their addiction as a problem but parents may try to point in a correct direction

Observer’s discomfort

Question 11

What is the failure to function adequately?

Answer 11

People considered abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life

They are unable to perform behaviours that are necessary for day to day e.g self-care, holding down a job , interacting fully with others

Question 12

Give two Rosenhan and Seligman’s criteria and give examples (essay questions)

Answer 12

• Observer’s discomfort is the behaviour of the person making others feel uncomfortable. e.g drug addict may not see their addiction as a problem but other peole may try to put them in the right direction
• Maladaptive behaviour is preventing a person from achieving their goals. e.g social phobia as difficult to interact with others leading to ant-social behaviour

Question 13

Give example of a psychological abnormalities where a person fails to function adequately

Answer 13

• Having depression
• Maladaptive behaviour is their loss of interest at usual activities and having irrational thoughts

Question 14

Limitation of failure to function adequately

recognises the patient’s perspective

Answer 14

• This may not be an entirely satisfactory approach because it is difficult to assess distress
• However, the definition acknowledges that the experience of the patient (and/or others) is important
• It captures the experience of many people who need help and is useful to assessing abnormality

Question 15

Limitation of failure to function adequately

Same as deviation from social norms

Answer 15

• It can be hard to say when someone is really failing to function or just deviating from social norms
• People who live alternative styles or do extreme sports could be seen as behaving maladaptively
• If we treat these behaviours as ‘failures’ of adequate functioning we may limit freedom

Question 16

Limitation of failure to function adequately

Subjective judgement

Answer 16

• Someone has to judge whether a patient is distressed or distressing.
• Some patients may say they are distressed but may be judged as not suffering
• These methods for making such judgements, as objective as possible include checklist such as the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale
• However, the principle remains whether someone .eg a psychiatrist has the right to make this judgment