failure to function adequately Flashcards
what is the general definition of failure to function adequately?
if a person is unable to function in everyday life
- unable to attend work/school maintain relationships or care for yourself
what are rosenhan and seligmans criteria for failure to function?
personal distress
maldaptive behaviour
unpredictability
irrationality
observer discomfort
violation of moral standards
unconventionality
personal distress-
when someone is impacted by anxiety, stress and or sadness
maldaptive behaviour
when someones behaviour is preventing them from ataining life goals- socially and/or occupationally
unpredictability
when someone displays unexpected behaviours, characterised by a loss of control e.g punching a wall
irationality
displaying behaviour that can not be explained in a rational way e.g suddenly quitting a job
observer discomfort
displaying behaviour causing discomfort to others ( making others uncomfortable)
violation of moral standards
when the person acts in an immoral way
unconventionality
acting in a way that is unusual e.g suddenly getting a tatoo
what are the practical applications for failure to function adequately
this definition can be practically applied in the diagnosis of many disorder ( depression, OCD, phobias) as they are usually characterised by personal distress as well as other parts of the criteria
advantage : holistic
the definition considers the subjective experience of the individual
this is a more holistic way of viewing behaviour than the statistical infrequency definition which reduces complex human experience down to their point on a disribution curve
advantage : the definition may work across cultures
if someone is distressed then this is a sign in any culture that they require support
disadvantage : sometimes it can be more normal to fail to function
berevament , job loss etc can all cause us to feel distress or react irrationally
in the short term this is considered a normal response ( to do otherwise is deviating from social norms)
disadvantage: possibility of misdiagnosis
possibility of misdiagnosis as 2 people may have the same disorder but show different behaviours
some people have serious mental health problems but are still technically functional due to being able to attend work and maintaining relationships
these individuals differences might mean that 2 people with the same disorder are classified differently bt defninition
this means it may not be valid
how can the definition be said to not work across cultures?
it is impacted by cultural norms about good functioning in india it is normal for a woman to stay in bed for up to 50 days after birth
but in the uk this might be considered as a sign that they are not happy and functioning
