Historical concepts and issues Flashcards
What is state of behaviour?
States: of mind, mood, feelings, highly variant short-term behaviour
What is a trait of behaviour?
Traits: dispositions, personalities, long-term general behaviour
A person’s traits can reflect their states in two ways:
Describe general states (i.e. Schizotypal PD: “paranoid ideation”)
Highly variable states (i.e. Major depression: “change in activity level”)
Psychiatry is field of:
medicine
- takes a medical/pharmacological approach to mental health and behaviour
- a psychiatrist can prescribe medicine
Psychology is a field of:
behavioural science
- focus on behavioural-emotional interventions (therapy)
- psychologists don’t prescribe medicine
- those delivering psychological treatment may be “psychotherapists” or “counsellors”
Self-report (questionnaires, interviews)
+ Only the self knows own thoughts
- Issues with honesty/reflective language
Observation (response to place/task)
+ ‘Objective’ / can be done without vested interest
- Time consuming / limited insight
Other-report (friends-/family-reporting)
+ ‘Everyday’ source of information
- Issues with honesty/accuracy
Biological measurement (EEQ, fMRI, blood tests)
+ Objective measurement of biology
- Not a direct observation of psychology
4 varied definitions of ‘abnormal’
Deviation from: statistical norms, cultural norms, developmental norms and expected behaviour
Varied definitions of ‘abnormal’ in reference to MH and Psychopathology
Deviation from the desired functional life (maladaptiveness)
- Does behaviour interfere with their ability to meet their life needs?
Contemporary psychopathology language
- What does psychopathology and the nature of psychiatry mean?
- What 2 terms are used when discussing notably abnormal behaviour?
- what do we have?
- we largely have a medical model of mental well being
- diagnosis and symptoms
- we have categorical classifications of disorders
Are mental health conditions ‘real’?
What does the realist say?
“Mental health conditions exist and are measurable in physical terms.
Impartial observers can objectively identify psychopathology.
Pharmacological research shows us that biology drives mental health diagnoses.”
Are mental health conditions ‘real’?
What does the constructivist say?
“The classification of mental health conditions is subjective and has no objective truth.
Society creates psychopathology as a framework.
Culturally/historically varying labels shows that mental health is socially constructed.”
Are mental health conditions ‘real’?
What does the pragmatist say?
“Treatment and intervention is most effective with labels
Detail on the genesis of mental health does not help those who need help right now
Research shows us that varied treatment work.”
