Definitions of Abnormality

Question 1

What are the four definitions for abnormality?

Answer 1

• Failure to function adequately
• Deviation from ideal mental health
• Deviation from social norms
• Statistical infrequency

Question 2

What is the failure to function adequately?

Answer 2

• Inability to cope with everyday living
• No longer coping
• Doesn’t conform to interpersonal rules
• Personal distress
• Behave in irrational or dangerous ways

Question 3

Who proposed a list of ways to identify someone unable to cope?

Answer 3

Rosenham and Seligman (1989)

Question 4

What is the deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 4

• Looking at how a healthy person should be

- Can identify if anyone deviates from this ideal

Question 5

Who proposed the criteria for the ideal mental health?

Answer 5

Jahoda (1958)

Question 6

What was on the criteria of ideal mental health proposed by Jahoda (1958)?

Answer 6

• We have no symptoms or distress
• Rational and perceive ourselves accurately
• Self-actualism
• Cope with stress
• A realistic view of the world
• Good self-esteem and lack of guilt
• Independent of other people
• Successful work, love and enjoy our leisure

Question 7

Can there be an overlap of failure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

Does failure to function adequately recognise the patient’s perspective?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

Which four types of definitions of abnormality are the same?

Answer 9

Failure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health

Question 10

Why is it a limitation to define someone as abnormal if they fail to function adequately?

Answer 10

People prefer to live an alternative lifestyle or do extreme sports

Question 11

Judging some criteria are shown to be down to subjectivity why is this a limitation?

Answer 11

Difficult to show if a person is distressed or distressing

Question 12

How have criterias evolved to be more objective for identifying an abnormality?

Answer 12

Checklist on a global network (Global Assessment of Functional Scale)

Question 13

Why is the deviation from ideal mental health comprehensive?

Answer 13

Definitions cover a broad range of criteria for mental health

Question 14

Why is it a limitation of the definitions being culturally relative?

Answer 14

Individualist and collectivists have a much different perspective

Question 15

What is a specific problem with deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 15

An unrealistically high standard for mental health

Question 16

What is statistical infrequency?

Answer 16

• Defines anything ‘abnormal’ or ‘normal’ in terms of number of times it is observed
• Behaviour which is rarely seen is abnormal

Question 17

What is an example of statistical infrequency?

Answer 17

IQ

Question 18

What is a deviation from social norms?

Answer 18

• Abnormality is based on a social context

- People behave differently to how they are expected

Question 19

What is an example of deviation from social norms?

Answer 19

Antisocial personality disorder (APD)

Question 20

Why does statistical infrequency have a real-life application?

Answer 20

• Part of clinical assessment

- Patients can be assessed compared to a statistical norm

Question 21

What is a major default in the statistical infrequency?

Answer 21

Some unusual characteristics can be positive e.g like a high IQ

Question 22

Why may labels from the definitions of abnormality be a limitation?

Answer 22

Someone living a happy and fulfilled life may not benefit from a label

Question 23

If you make some seem so abnormal from social norm what effect can that have on their human rights?

Answer 23

They may be abused - like black slaves