Definitions of abnormality (2)

Question 1

What is Failure to function adequately?

Answer 1

When someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day living such as maintaining basic standards of nutrition and hygiene.

Question 2

When is someone failing to function adequatly?

Answer 2

• irrational dangerous behaviour
• experiencing severe personal distress
• no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules

Question 3

Example of failure to function adequatly?

Answer 3

Lower than average IQ, <70
May be diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder

Question 4

Evaluations of Failure to Function adequately

Answer 4

• Gives a threshold for when people need professional help.
• Easy to label non-standard lifestyle choices as abnormal.

Question 5

Evaluation: Easy to label non-standard lifestyle choices as abnormal

Answer 5

• Limitation: Easy to label non-standard lifestyle choices as abnormal
• Hard to say when someone is failing to function adequatly or they’re choosing to deviate from social norms
• Not having a job or permenant home may seem like failing to function
• However people with alternative lifetyles choose to live ‘off-grid’.
• Examples - Spiritualists, Travellers
• Unreasonably classed as irrational/danger to self
• People who make unusal choices- labeled abnormal, freedom of choice restrited.

Question 6

Evaluation: Represents a threshold for when people need professional help.

Answer 6

Strength: Represents a threshold for when people need professional help.
Many of us have had symptons of mental disorder.
According to mental health charity Mind- 25% of UK will experience problem in any given year.
Although many people experience symptons of mental disorders,
it is only when these symptons affect their ability to function that they typically seek/referred help.
Criterion means treatment can be targeted to those that need it.

Question 7

What is deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 7

When someone does not meet a crieria for good mental health.

Question 8

What does ideal mental health look like as sugguested by Jahoda?

Answer 8

no symptons of distress, rational, self-actualisation, cope with stress, realistic view of the world, good self esteem and lack guilt, independent, successivly work, love

Question 9

Evaluations of Devaiation from ideal mental health

Answer 9

Ideal mental health criterion is comprehensive
The criterion is not applicable to a range of cultures.

Question 10

Evaluation: Ideal mental health criterion is comprehensive

Answer 10

Strength: Ideal mental health criterion is comprehensive.
Jahoda sugguests a wide range of criteria that distinguishes mental health from illness.
In fact most of the criteria are reasons why we might be reffered help with mental health.
Allows for meaningful discussions among professionals with different perspectives.
Medically trained psychiatrist-focused on symptoms
Humanstic counseller - interested in self- actualisation
We cann assess ourselves and disscuss issues.

Question 10

Evaluation: The criterion is not applicable to a range of cultures.

Answer 10

Limitation: The criterion is not applicable to a range of cultures.
Some of Jahoda’s criteria - more associated with the USA and Western Europe.
Not understood in other parts of the world
Self actualisation seen as self- indulgent in other cultures.
Even in Western Europe,
variations on importanance placed on personal independance and success in other cultures.
High in Germany and low in Italy
Difficult to apply the concept of ideal mental health to many differnt cultures.