definitions of abnormality (2) Flashcards
failure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health
what does failure to function adequately refer to?
when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day living
what are rosenhan and seligman (1989)’s four main criteria for determining whether someone is abnormal?
- unable to meet basic standards of nutrition
- unable to meet basic standards of hygiene
- cannot hold down a job
- cannot maintain relationships
what are some other signs, proposed by rosenhan and seligman (1989) which can be used to determine when someone is not coping?
- when a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules eg. maintaining eye contact and respecting personal space
- when a person experiences severe personal distress
- when a person’s behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others
- behaviour is unpredictable and sometimes uncontrolled
- maladaptive behaviour: behaviour interferes with a person’s usual daily routine
evaluation of ftfa: represents a sensible threshold for when people need professional help
- most of us have symptoms of mental disorder to some degree at some time
> mental health charity, mind, says that 25% of people in the UK will experience a mental health problem in any given year - however, many people press on in the face of fairly severe symptoms
- it tends to be at the point that we cease to function adequately that people seek professional help or are noticed and referred for help by others
- therefore, treatment and services can be targeted to those who need them most
evaluation of ftfa: discrimination and social control
- easy to label non-standard lifestyle choices as abnormal
- in practice, it can be very hard to say when someone is really failing to function when they have simply chosen to deviate from social norms
- eg. new age travellers don’t have a job or permanent address, which may seem like failing to function but is simply an alternative lifestyle choice
- similarly, those who favour high-risk leisure activities or unusual spiritual practices could be classed, unreasonably, as irrational and a danger to self
- therefore, people who make unusual choices are at risk of being labelled abnormal and their freedom of choice may be restricted
evaluation of ftfa: failure to function is not necessarily abnormal
- there are circumstances in which most of us fail to cope for a time eg. bereavement
- it may be unfair to give someone a label that may cause them future problems just because they react to difficult circumstances
- however, failure to function is no less real just because the cause is real
- some people also need professional help to adjust to circumstances like bereavement, which would only be recognised due to the failure to function adequately
what does deviation from ideal mental health refer to?
- when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health
- once we have a picture of how we should be psychologically healthy then we can begin to identify who deviates from this ideal
what did marie jahoda (1958) suggest the criteria was for good mental health?
- we have no symptoms or distress
- we are rational and can perceive ourselves accurately
- we self-actualise (strive to reach our potential ie. personal growth)
- we can cope with stress
- we have a realistic view of the world
- we have good self-esteem and lack guilt
- we are independent of other people
- we can successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure
what did jahoda suggest about good mental health and self-attitudes?
- high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity are related to good mental health
- according to jahoda, to be mentally healthy, someone must know who they are and like what they see
what did jahoda suggest about good mental health and integration?
- integration refers to the ‘synthesising psychological function’ integrating self-attitudes and person growth
- jahoda held that good integration created resistance to stress and helped people cope with stress
what did jahoda suggest about good mental health and autonomy?
this is the extent to which an individual is free of social influences and can rely on their own inner resources
what did jahoda suggest about good mental health and perception of reality?
individuals with good mental health do not distort their perception of reality but instead demonstrate empathy and social sensitivity
what did jahoda suggest about good mental health and environmental mastery?
this is the degree to which someone is successful and well-adapted, able to love, perform adequately in both work, play and interpersonal relations, be effective at problem-solving and adapting to meet situational requirements
evaluation of dfimh: ideal mental health criterion is highly comprehensive
- jahoda’s concept of ‘ideal mental health’ includes a range of criteria for distinguishing mental health from mental disorder
- it covers most of the reasons why we might seek or be referred to help with mental health
- this means that an individuals’ mental health can be discussed meaningfully with a range of professional who might take on different theoretical views
- therefore, ideal mental health provides a checklist against which we can assess ourselves and others and discuss psychological issues with a range of professionals
evaluation of dfimh: its different elements are not equally applicable across a range of cultures
- some of jahoda’s criteria for ideal mental health are firmly located in the context of the US and europe
- eg. the concept of self-actualisation could be dismissed as self-indulgent in much of the world
- even within europe, there is quite a bit of variation in the value placed on personal independence eg. high in germany but low in italy
- what defines success in our working, social and love-lives is very different in different cultures
- therefore, it is difficult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
