Definitions of abnormality Flashcards
What are the four defintions of abnormality?
Definitions of abnormality
- Statistical infrequency
- Deviation from social norms
- Failure to function adequately
- Deviation from ideal mental health
What is the statistical infrequency definition of abnormality?
Definitions of abnormality
Occurs when an individual has a less common characteristic
Example of statistical infrequency
Definitions of abnormality
Average IQ is 100
In normal distribution, most people (68%) have a score between 85-115
Only 2% of people are below 70 - these people are ‘abnormal’
Likely to recieve diagnosis for intellectual disability disorder
Real-world application of stats infrequency
Definitions of abnormality
Strength
Stats infrequency is used in clinical practise - as part of formal diagnosis and as way to assess serverity of symptoms
E.G. diagnosis of IDD requires IQ of below 70
Or Beck’s depp inventory (BDI) - a score of 30+ is widely interpreted as indicating severe depp
Therefore, value of stats infrequency criterion is useful in diagnostic and assessment processes
Stats infrequency: Unusual characteristics can be positive
Definitions of abnormality
Limitation
For every person with IQ below 70, there is a person with IQ above 130 - yet not seen as abnormal
Similarly, low scores on BDI are not abnormal
These show that being unusual at one end of psychological spectrum does not make someone abnormal
Therefore, stats frequency can only offer part of assessment and diagnostic procedures
What is deviation from social norms as a definition for abnormality?
Definitions of abnormality
Concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of society
However, social norms are culture dependent - relatively few behaviours would be considered universally abnormal
(April 2019, Brunei introduced new laws that made sex between men an offence punishable by death)
Example of deviation from social norms
Definitions of abnormality
Person with antisocial personality disorder is impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible
In DSM-5 an important symptom of ADP is an ‘absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour’
Real-world application of deviation from social norms
Definitions of abnormality
Strength
Used in clinical practise - e.g. key defining characteristic of ADP is failure to conform to culturally acceptable ethical behaviour
Such norms also play part in diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder, where ‘strange’ is used to characterise thinking, behaviour and appearance of people with the disorder
Therefore, deviation from social norms criterion has value in psychiatry
Cultural and situational relativism of deviation from social norms
Definitions of abnormality
Limitation
Person from one culture may label someone from another group as abnormal using their standards rather than the person’s standards
E.g. hearing voices is norm in some cultures but not in most parts of UK
Even within one culture social norms differ from one situation to another
Aggressive and deceitful behaviour is more socially acceptable in corporate deal making than in family context
Therefore, difficult to judge deviation from social norms across diff situations and cultures
What is failure to function adequately as a definiton for abnormality?
Definitions of abnormality
Occurs when someons is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day living
Rosehan and Seligman’s (1989) signs of when a person is not coping
Definitions of abnormality
- When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
- When a person experiences severe personal distress
- When a person’s behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others
Example of failure to function adequately
Definitions of abnormality
A person must be failing to function adequately to recieve a diagnosis for IDD
Evaluation: Represents a threshold for help (failure to function)
Definitions of abnormality
Strength: represents threshold for when people need professional help
Most people have symptoms of mental disorder to some degree at some time
According to Mind charity, 25% of people in UK will experience a mental health prob in any given year
However, many people press on in face of fairly severe symptoms
Tends to be at point that we cease to function adequately that people seek professional help
Therefore, treatment & service can be targeted to those who need them most
Evaluation: Discrimination & Social control (failure to function)
Definitions of abnormality
Limit: easy to non-standard lifestyle choices as abnormal
In practise it can be hard to say when someone is really failing to function & when they have chosen to deviate from social norms
Not having a job or permenant address may seem like failing to function & for some it is
However, people w/ alt lifestyles choose to live “off-grid”
SImilarly, those who favour high-risk leisure activities or unusual spiritual practises could be classed as irrational & perhaps a danger to self
Therefore, people who make unusual choices are at risk of being labelled abnormal & their freedom of choice may be restricted.
Deviation from ideal mental health
Definitions of abnormality
Look at what makes someone ‘normal’ and assess people againts this criteria
What does ideal mental health look like?
Definitions of abnormality
Jahoda’s criteria:
* We have no symptoms or distress
* We are rational & can percieve ourselves accurately
* We self-actualise
* We can cope w/ stress
* We have realistic view of world
* We have good self-esteem & lack guilt
* We are independent of other people
* We can successfully work, love & enjoy our leisure
Evaluation: A comprehensive definition (Mental health)
Definitions of abnormality
Strength: highly comprehensive criterion
Jahoda’s concept of ‘ideal mental health’ includes range of criteria for distinguishig mental health from mental disorder
Covers most reasons why we might seek help w/ mental health
This means an individual’s mental health can be discussed meaningfully w/ range of professionals who may take diff theoretical views
Therefore, ideal mental health provides checklist against which we can asses ourselves & others
Evaluation: May be culture-bound (Mental health)
Definitions of abnormality
Limit: diff elements are not equally applicable across range of cultures
Some of Jahoda’s criteria are firmly located in context of US & Europe
In particular concept of self-actualisation would probably be dismissed as self-indulgent in much of world
Furthermore, what defines success in our working, social & love-lives is very diff in diff cultures
Therefore, difficult to apply concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
