Definitions Of Abnormality: Failure To Funtion Adequately Flashcards
What is failure to function adequately
Is a definition of abnormality that refers to the point at which someone is unable to continue their daily routines or cope with everyday life
Coping with everyday life means what
Means being able to to manage daily tasks and take care of there selves in terms of
- good personal hygiene
- regular eating habits
- attending work or school
- socialising with others
Who identified the distinct signs that indicate FTFA and what doe theses include
Rosenhan and seligman
Severe personal distress
Behaviour that goes against social norms
Behaving irrationally
Self inflicted harm
If a person has FTFA what may they struggle to cope with
- holding down a job which can result in reduction income, job loss
- showering frequently
- household chores
What can FTFA have a damaging effect on and why
Damaging effect on relationship
This could be due to increased conflict with friends family due to there more erratic disturbing behaviour
Strength of failure to function adequately
Provides clear guidelines for classification and diagnosis of abnormality as it is focused on observable signs that individual is not coping
- eg lack of hygiene
These observable signs allow for individual to receive help
Limitaton of failure to function adequately
- can be used as a Counter point for the strength: observable measure
It is an overly subjective measure as not all abnormal behvaiour is associated with distress/failure to cope
- Eg lack of hygiene may be due to eco friendly refusal to wear deodorant
This mean that FTFA may lack validity
Strength of failure to function adequately - reliability
Checklist provided by rosenhan and seligman can be used to assess the degree of FTFA
This increases the reliability and objectivity of measure
Limitation of failure to function adequately - cultural relativism
Different cultures have different expectations on what failing to function is
Eg some cultures showing symptoms of depressions throughout a widows whole life is not seen as abnormal
Therefore the definition may not be appropriate to define abnormally beyond specific cultures
