Mental Health Topic 1 Flashcards
What is the supernatural explanation for MI?
One of the earliest explanations for MI which was the supernatural phenomena. Abnormal behavior was attributed to witchcraft, religion and demonic possession. People also believed that mental illness was a punishment for wrongdoing.
What was a treatment used for the supernatural explanation of MI?
Saying prayers and immersing an individual in holy water, undergoing good deeds and having positive thoughts. Exorcisms were also used as a treatment to rid the individual of demonic possession. Involved trepanning, starving etc.
What was the humoral theory?
Hippocrates argued that MI was caused by physiology. He believed that excess or deficiency of one of the four essential bodily fluids was responsible for physical and mental illness. He placed MI into four categories: epilepsy, mania, melancholia and brain fever.
What was the treatment for the humoral theory?
Purging the patient (using laxatives or emetics). Bloodletting. Changes to lifestyle. Cared for at home by families.
What was the psychogenic approach?
Focus on psychological factors. Freud suggests MI was a result of unconscious processes.
What was the treatment for the psychogenic approach?
psychoanalysis- accessing the unconscious by free association and dream analysis.
What was the somatogenic approach?
Physical explanation- explained in terms of abnormal braain structure, abnormal levels of neurotransmitters and inherited genes- ‘Medical Model’
What was the treatment for the somatogenic approach?
Physical treatments such as ECT and psycho surgery. Most common is drug treatments.
What was the anti-psychiatry movement?
In the 1960s, a strong movement started that was against the medical model/ biological treatment of MI. Key researchers are Rosenhan and Szasz, who argue that unusual problems should be seen as what they are ‘problems in living’
What are 3 ways that a psychologist may define abnormality?
-Statistical infrequency.
-Deviation from Social Norms
-Maladaptiveness (failure to function adequately.)
What is statistical infrequency?
Numerically based- some psychologists suggest that behavior is normally distributed. For example approx 1% of the population have SZ. This is infrequent enough to be considered statistically rare and therefore abnormal.
What are some strengths of statistical infrequency?
Psych as a science/reliability- can be regarded as ‘objective’. Can create a “cut off point”
Less socially sensitive- doesn’t make judgements (it is rare not wrong.)
less ethnocentric: Based on mathematical criteria and doesn’t take cultural views/ opinions into account.
What is a weakness of statistical infrequency?
Validity-Cut off points can be arbitrary and could change and be determined differently at different times. Subjective to where to draw the line.
Usefulness- Some abnormal behaviors are not statistically rare e.g depression may affect up to 27% which is not statistically rare.
What does deviation from social norms mean?
Social norms are the rules that a society has about how people should think and behave. These rules may be explicit or implicit. Abnormal behavior can therefore be regarded as anything that deviates significantly from these social norms.
What is a strength of deviation from social norms.
usefulness- Aids social interaction
What are some weaknesses of deviation from social norms.
validity- Not all behavior deviates from social norms indicates a psychological abnormality.
Social norms are era dependent as attitudes change over time.
Ethnocentrism: Deviation is bound by culture/ influenced by cultural factors.
Reliability- Based on opinion.
Unethical-As of the sense that ‘judgements are made about an individual.’
What is the definition of failure to function adequately?
Views abnormality as the failure to experience the normal range of emotions or to engage in the normal range of behavior. E.G a person is considered abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demand of everyday life. they may be unable to perform the behaviors necessary for day-to-day living.
What are some indicators for failure to function adequately?
-dysfunctional (maladaptive) behavior- prevents an individual from achieving life goals.
-observer discomfort- where another behavior causes discomfort and distress to the observer.
-Unpredictable behavior.
-Irrational behavior.
What are some strengths of the failure to function adequately evaluation?
Usefulness- easy to assess
Psychology as a science- Has an objective measuring scale.
What are some weaknesses of the failure to function adequately evaluation?
Validity- It does not consider the social context of behavior- reductionist.
Validity- Cultural relativism (ethnocentric)
Validity- Some psychological disorder so not prevent a person from functioning adequately.
Psych as a science/reliability- Involve making subjective judgements.
What is the purpose of classification?
To identify a group/pattern of behaviors/ symptoms that consistently occur to form a ‘type’ of disorder.
What are the 2 main types of classification systems used?
DSM- Diagnostic and statistical manual (5th edition)
ISD- International classification of disorders (10th edition)
What are some strengths of classification?
Lifts blame
Reassuring/comforting
Valid diagnosis
Can get the right treatment
What are some weaknesses of classification?
Stereotyping
Stigma
Reduced validity due to reliance of self-reporting
What are some weaknesses of classification?
Stereotyping
Stigma
Reduced validity due to reliance of self-reporting
How many sections are in the DSM?
3
What is the first section of the DSM?
Clinical syndromes/ disorders- This is an extensive list of clinical syndromes that cause significant impairments.
What are 3 clinical syndromes labelled in the DSM?
- Mood disorder
- Anxiety disorders
- Sleep disorders.
What is Section 2 of the DSM?
Psychological and Environmental stressors- All stressful life events that have occurred over the past year are assessed on a 7 point scale 1=not stressful, 7=catastrophic.
What is section 3 of the DSM?
Global assessment of functioning- Rates the level of social, occupational and psychological functioning and engagement of a scale of 1(persistent danger) to 100 (excellent in all areas
What was the aim of Rosenhan’s study 1?
To see weather a group of sane people presenting themselves as having a disorder would be diagnosed by insane by hospital staff a a psychiatric hospital.
