Definitions Of Abnormality Flashcards
What are the four deviations
-deviation from social norms
-statistical in frequency
-deviation from idea mental health (DIMH)
-failure to function adequately
What is deviation from social norms
Behaviour that is not within the expected unwritten rules of society
-Behaviour is deemed abnormal cause it deviates from societies norms.
-change overtime - use to be okay to smoke, couldn’t be gay or have kid outside of marriage.
-consider how far norm is violated
Eg talking to yourself in the street
Evaluation of deviation from social norms
Cultural issues - ethnicentrism
-judging someone from the perspective of our own culture
What might be abnormal to us could be normal in another culture
-mental illness is culturally relative eg speaking to dead people
What is statistical infrequency
Person seen as abnormal cause their behaviour is statistically uncommon
-further away from the average u are the more likely you are to a psychopathology.
-behaviour is statistically rare
-objective can determine what is statistically rare by using a bell curve
- eg average IQ 100 the further away someone’s Iq is from 100 the more statistically infrequent they are. Under 70 could be a sign of abnormality.
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Evaluation of statistical infrequency
- depression isnt statistically rare but is still undesirable, doesn’t take into account desirable and undesirable rare behaviour. Eg IQ over 100 is rare but desirable
- how far from the mean do u have to be deemed as having psychopathology?
Eg IQ UNDER 70 Is 2.2%
What is Deviation from idea mental health - list
Johoda - 6 list criteria we should be following to have perfect mental health.
PRAISE johoda
Personal growth💪🏼- self actualization
Reality perception👁- be aware of the reality
Autonomy💁- be independent
Integration👥- should ‘fit in’ with society and be able to cope in stressful sitchs.
Self- attitudes😁- be more positive, high set esteem
Environment mastery🌍- cope in environment eg work, relationships, adjust to new sitchs
The fewer criteria you have present the more abnormal you’re deemed to be
Evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health
- unrealistic - if one criteria not met you’re deemed abnormal, so the criteria is to stringent
-culterally relative - criteria based on western norms eg personal growth seen as selfish in some cultures
And autonomy is not an expected behaviour in collectivist cultures.
What is failure to function adequately
Can’t cope with demands of everyday living eg getting out of bed, eating.
- if behaviours interfere with adequate living deemed abnormal
-use GAFF scale functioning adequately is score of 100
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how do u measure failure to function adequately
WOHDAS 2.0-Measures health and disability across cultures
GAF scale- rates how serious mental illness may be and how much symptoms effect your everyday life. 100= functioning perfectly adequately.
Evaluation of failure to function adequately
- they have to be aware there functioning is inadequate to get tested . Eg schizophrenics are unaware they’re abnormal.
-family members may have to fill it out for them so may not be an as reliable account of how the person functions.
-not everyone who isn’t functioning adequately will get help eg anorexia
- cultural bias- personal hygiene and eating everyday is not normal in all cultures it’s based of western views of what’s ‘functioning adequately’ for us.