Lecture 1 Flashcards
How can we define abnormality
Psychometric abnormality: being a deviation from a statistically determined norm. Being certain numbers below the population average for example
Incomprehensible behaviour: how much your behaviour is understandable by another individual. The less = the more abnormal
Undesirable behaviour: how much the behaviour is regarded as undesirable by society (this can obviously change a lot over time, e.g. once upon a time homosexuality was considered an abnormal behaviour, purely because it was undesired)
The criteria is very subjective and judgements vary across time, culture and society
Pros of labelling abnormality
You can reduce the stigma and make people feel like they’re not alone
Gives us a framework to talk about the illnesses
Allows for appropriate understanding and treatments for the abnormalities
Cons of labelling abnormality
Idea of self-fulfilling prophecy
It can actually increase the stigma surrounding the abnormality as it creates an ‘outgrip’ that people can make stereotypes and negative opinions about.
What is the somatogenic approach to abnormalities
The idea that mental abnormalities are a product of biological disorders of the brain
What is the psychogenic approach to abnormalities
Primary causes of mental disorders are psychological rather than biological. It is all due to the psychology and IS NOT hardwired into the brain. It is instead, an outcome of the experiences we have had as a person, our thoughts and out learning.
Rooted in:
Freud theory
Cognitive and behavioural approaches
What is the medical model of abnormality
The idea that mental health problems are the result of physiological abnormalities, and can therefore be treated with physical treatments that underly the biological problem.
Such treatments involve drugs.
Symptoms -> diagnosis -> treatment (all dependant on the the previous)
What are the problems with classification systems like the DSM-V
They provide a dichotomous outcome for the individual. You either are or are not schizophrenic, you CANNOT be in between. And this is difficult to sustain, since an individual can shift in and out of moods - you can be anxious one day and the other day less etc.
They argue for biological factors are the primary cause for mental health problems, which we know not to be the case, and therefore treat the DIAGNOSIS and not the INDIVIDUAL.
Some people will need treating, but the classification system will not pick them up. Some treatments may also help across a number of diagnostic criteria, so there is on real specifity in the DSM then?
What did Kessler et al (2007) find
At a population level, across many countries, they surveyed and then estimated the prevalence of certain mental health presentations.
Found that between 40-50% of people experience a mental health disorder at any given time - so having one it not entirely a rare thing.
We are better now at identifying them and are more aware of them, but they are also more common now than ever before.
What is the diathesis-stress model
You have a genetic or biological vulnerability, which will not translate into a poor outcome, unless you have the trigger and stress to pair with it.
Biopsychosocial approach
What is the psychological formulation argument for abnormalities
The idea of drawing on all experiences and individual has, to make sense of how they’re currently presenting.
Aim: identify what causes and maintains their MH problems
Formulation: hypothesis explaining the cause of the clinical problem which involves looking at the problem and any predisposing/precipitating factors having an influence
Function: to guide treatment and understand which is an effective treatment
NOTE: formulations are not static - factors and influences on the individual can change overtime
What are the dimensional approaches to abnormalities
They reject the dichotomous ‘yes/no’ argument and assume that all disorders follow a continuum regarding variation in symptoms. At the extreme end you have those diagnosed with a MH disorder but regardless, within and between disorders, we all vary in our symptoms and behaviour.
‘we are going to design the treatment around you and what you need, rather then because you crossed a threshold’
