Failure to function adequately Flashcards
Failure to function adequately
Under this definition, abnormal behaviour is that which causes an inability to cope with everyday life. A person’s behaviour may mean they cannot hold down a job, maintain a relationship, keep up with personal hygiene etc. Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) suggest personal dysfunction has seven features. The more features an individual has the more abnormal they are considered to be.
GAF
Global Assessment of Functioning Scale
7 criteria by Rosenhan and Seligman
SUMOVIV
Suffering - A person might be psychologically or physically suffering because they have a psychological abnormality that is having a negative effect on them
Unpredictability - Displaying unexpected behaviours characteristiced by the
loss of control.
Maladaptive behaviour - Behaviour stopping individuals from attaining life
goals, both socially and occupationally.
Observer Discomfort - Displaying behaviour which causes discomfort in others.
Vividness and unconventionality - Displaying behaviour which does not conform to what is generally done in a certain situation.
Irrationality - Displaying behaviours which cannot be explained in a logical way.
Violation of moral standards - Displaying behaviour, which violates society’s ethical standards.
Advantages of Failure to Function adequately
+ This definition of abnormality recognises the patient’s perspective (e.g. personal distress).
An advantage of this model is that using the GAF scale (Global assessment of functioning scale) means that psychologists can accurately assess the degree of abnormality and how well the patient is/or is not coping with their daily life. If the patient appears to not be coping very well in their social/occupational life then it could be concluded that the patient is not functioning adequately and is therefore abnormal. The GAF has attempted to make psychological judgements more objective. This can also be used with other more objective measures of failing to function adequately e.g. poor attendance data at school/work (+)
Disadvantages of failure to function adequately
The 7 criteria used in this definition can be very problematic as they are very difficult to measure and analyse. For instance how can we really judge if someone is suffering or not? How much suffering should they be experiencing? The model is very subjective and lacks being scientific and objective which means that psychologists need to be cautious when using the model to define abnormality. There might also be occasions when some of the criteria should be adhered to because it would be the normal or right thing to do. An example is that if a close relative passes away, then it would be acceptable for people to show signs of suffering rather than not (-)
- Abnormality is not always accompanied by a failure to function. Psychopaths can commit murders while still appearing normal. Harold Shipman, the English doctor who murdered 215 patients over 23 years, maintained the outward appearance of a respectable member of his profession, and had a family, the entire time he was committing the murders. None of his family, friends or colleagues were aware that he was a serial killer.
- There are times in a person’s life when it is normal and psychologically healthy to suffer from personal distress, like when a loved one dies. It would be abnormal not to feel distress under these circumstances.
- Behaviour may cause distress to other people and be regarded as dysfunctional when the person themselves feels no personal distress. Stephen Gough has been imprisoned for breaching the peace because he insists on hiking while naked, this makes other people experience observer discomfort, but he himself feels no distress.
