Diagnosis of mental disorders Flashcards
What is deviance?
1
- Behaviours that are extreme, undesirable which differ from social and statistical norms
What do social norms depend on? (assessing deviance)
1
- Historical context/culture, age and gender of person
Consequences of failing to conform to social norms? (deviance)
3
- Negative attention from others
- Social exclusion
- Norm breaking useful indicator of psych abnormality
What can understanding of statistical/social norms determine? (deviance)
2
1) How unusual the behaviour is (statistics)
2) Desirability of behaviour in a social/cultural group
What is meant by dysfunctional?
2
- Symptoms that interfere with person’s ability to carry out responsibilities
- Also, manifests as trouble getting up in morning, completing tasks at work/college
What do psychologists use to assess everyday functioning? (dysfunction)
1
-WHODAS ll (questionnaire looks at factors like a persons communication, deterioration of self-care)
What is distress?
1
- Subjective experience of feeling upset or anxious
What may distress be manifested as?
2
- Physical symptoms (aches, pains), palpitations or feeling tired all the time
- Also be normal depending on situation
What will a clinician consider? (distress)
2
- Intensity/duration of distress
- Functioning to make decision about diagnosis
How can quantitative data be collected? (distress)
1
- Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (self report questionnaire that focuses on experiences in past 4 weeks)
How to predict violent behaviour? (danger)
1
- History of aggro
What happens in the UK if a person is perceived as a danger to themselves or others? (danger)
3
- Sectioned under Mental Health Act
- Requires agreement of 3 pro’s
- Client taken, without consent to mental health hospital where treatment is provided
Evaluate 4D’s of diagnosis
3
All 4 >errors in diagnosis. If deviance from stat/social norms only consideration in diagnosis, those eccentric yet harmless seen as abnormal, while those w common/debilitating symptoms of depression may be missed. Valid system not over/under inclusive
> Objectivity. Rating = feelings, >reliability. 4D’s involve comparison between individual/others in society (through norms), decisions better if in comparison to ref group, not subjective view of clinician. Clinician need detailed info of persons community
Labels created. Danger as a criterion for mental disorder = people equate mental illness w being dangerous. Becomes distorted in media/films. Schizophrenics aren’t ^dangerous than normal people (Fazel et al.). Attitudes = SFP
What is danger?
1
- Careless, hazardous behaviour that jeopardises the safety of the individual and or others
