Definitions of Psychopathology Flashcards
Statistical Infrequency
when an individual has a less common characteristic i.e being more depressed or less intelligent that most of the population
IQ and Intellectual Disability Disorder
- the majority of people’s scores cluster around the middle, the further you go left or right, the fewer ppl will attain that score (Normal Distribution)
-Average IQ= 100
-Only 2% score lower than 70 (abnormal)
Intellectual Disability Disorder
Deviation from Social Norms
concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted behaviour in a community or society
groups of ppl choose to define behaviour as abnormal on the basis that if offends their sense of what is acceptable or the norm
- Norms are specific to the culture we live in
i.e Homosexuality is still illegal in some countries
Antisocial Personality Disorder
- impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible
absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to lawful ethical behaviour
Statistical Infrequency A03
Real Life Application
Diagnosis of intellectual personality disorder
- place for SI in thinking about what are normal and abnormal behaviours and characteristics
-Useful part of clinical assessment
SI AO3
Abnormal stats can be positive
IQ scores over 130 are just as unusual as those below 70
- but we don’t see super-intelligence as a negative characteristic that needs treatment
Just because only a few ppl display a behaviour, doesn’t make it abnormal
Serious limitation can never be used alone to make a diagnosis
SI AO3
Not everyone benefits
if someone is living a happy life, no need to label them as abnormal regardless of how unusual they are
Someone with low IQ doesn’t need to be diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder of they’re capable of working etc
can give them a negative effect on the way others view them and themselves
Deviation from Social Norms AO3
Not a sole explanation
there is real life application in the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder
however there are other factors to consider, i.e the distress to other ppl resulting from antisocial personality disorder
I+D- Deterministic Approach
DFSN AO3
Cultural Relativism
varies from one generation to another and from one community to another
i.e hearing voices is socially acceptable in some African countries but would be seen as a mental disorder in the UK
creates problems for ppl from one culture living within another culture group
Not generalisable
DFSN AO3
Human rights abuses
lead to systematic abuse of human rights
diagnoses made to maintain control over minority ethnic group and women
Drapetomania- black slaves running away
Nymphomania- women being sexually attracted to working class men
Even some radical psychologists suggest that some of our modern categories of mental disorders are really abuses of people’s rights to be different
Failure to function adequately
unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day living
unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene
cannot hold down a job
maintain relationships
Rosenhahn and Seligman (1989)- signs someones not coping
-no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules i.e eye contact and respecting personal space
-experiencing severe personal distress
-irrational/dangerous behaviour to others/themselves
Deviation from ideal mental health
someone doesn’t meet a set of criteria for good mental health
Jahoda (1958)- Good Mental Health
- no symptoms of distress
-rational and can perceive ourselves accurately
-self-actualise
-cope with stress
-realistic view of the world
-good self-esteem and lack guilt
-independent from other people
-successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure
F2F AO3
Patients Perspective
attempts to include the subjective experience of the individual
captures the experience of many of the ppl who need help
useful criterion for assessing abnormality
I+D- Holistic Approach
F2F AO3
Same as DFSN
hard to say when someone is failing to function or is deviating from social norms
New Age travellers- don’t live in permanent accommodation and may not work
Base Jumpers- take part in extreme sport with a high mortality rate
Spiritualists- take part in religious rituals believing they’re communicating with the dead
F2F AO3
Subjective Judgements
someone has to judge whether a patient is distressed/distressing
some patients may say they’re distressed but may be judged as not suffering
methods for making such judgements as objective as possible- Global Assessment of Functioning Scale
However principle remains that someone has the right to make this judgement
DFIMH AO3
Comprehensive Definition
covers a broad range of criteria for mental health
covers most of the reasons someone would seek help from mental health services or be referred for help
good tool for thinking about mental health
DFIMH AO3
Cultural Relativism
specific to western world- culture bound
emphasis on personal achievement in the concept of self-actualisation would be considered self-indulgent in much of the world
emphasis too much on the individual and not the community/family
see independence from other people as a bad thing- individualist cultures
