Definitions Of Abnormalities (2) Flashcards
What is the concept of Failure to Function Adequately
A person can cross from ‘normal’ to ‘abnormal’ when they can no longer cope with everyday life
- Unable to maintain basic hygiene and nutrition
- Unable to maintain a job
- Unable to maintain standard interpersonal rules
- Unable to maintain own behaviour (aggression/self aggression)
What is the significance of Intelligent Development Disorder (IDD) in relation to functioning?
A person with IDD must also be failing to function adequately to receive a diagnosis
Who suggested the criteria for good mental health?
Jahoda (1958)
What is criteria for good mental health according to Jahoda?
- No symptoms or distress
- Rational and perceive ourselves accurately
- Self actualisation
- Good esteem and a lack of guilt
Etc…
How does Jahoda’s criteria link to abnormality?
Having a picture of psychological healthiness allows a clear picture of who deviates from this ideal.
Called Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
What is a strength of the failure to function adequately approach?
Represents a sensible threshold for when people need professional help
- Around 25% of people in the UK suffer from poor mental health every year
Usually seek help when we are failing to function adequately
- sometimes other people seek help for us
What is a limitation of the failure to function adequately approach?
Non-standard lifestyle choices can be labelled as ‘abnormal’
Some people choose to deviate from social norms
EG: spiritualists (rituals) and new age travellers (no permanent accomdation)
What is another limitation of the failure to function adequately approach?
Difficult to make objective judgments about mental health
We all fail to cope at some time
- unfair to give labels that may cause them future problems
What is a strength of the deviation from ideal mental health?
Highly comprehensive
- range of criteria that adds practical value to someone wanting to understand and improve their mental health
What does Jahoda’s criteria provide for assessing mental health?
As a strength for deviation from ideal mental health
A checklist against which we can assess ourselves
Distinguishes between mental health and mental illness
- covers most of the reasons we might seek help
- an individuals mental health can be discussed meaningfully
List a limitation of the deviation from ideal mental health approach.
- Different elements aren’t equally applicable across cultures
- Jahoda’s criteria can be considered as an impossible set of standards
- self actualization considered self indulgent in some other cultures
- within Europe: theres variation in the value of personal independence (high in Germany, low in Italy)
What’s another limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
How cultures define success varies
- difficult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
- Jahoda’s criteria can be considered as an impossible set of standard
