More Definitions Of Abnormality

Question 1

What is failure to function adequately?

Answer 1

People are judged on their ability to go about their daily life…
…If they can’t do this and are experiencing distress (or others are distressed by their behaviour) = sign of abnormality

Question 2

What does not functioning adequately cause?

Answer 2

Distress for the individual and/or may cause distress for others

Question 3

What is an example of a mental disorder where distress is caused to others but little to the individual?

Answer 3

Schizophrenia

Question 4

An example of where failure to function adequately is present is assessing abnormality?

Answer 4

The DSM includes as assessment of ability to function called WHODAS

Question 5

What 6 areas does WHODAS consider?

Answer 5

• understanding and communicating
• getting around
• self care
• getting along with people
• life activities
• participation in soceity

Question 6

How does WHODAS assess abnormality?

Answer 6

Individual rates each item on a scale of 1-5

Then given an overall score out of 180

DSM uses a quantitive measure of functioning

Question 7

Evaluation of failure to function adequately-
-who judges?

What is a weakness of this approach?

Answer 7

Is that abnormality being defined depends on who is making judgment

Question 8

Evaluation of failure to function adequately-
-the behaviour might be quite functional

What can some apparently “dysfunctional behaviours” actually be?

Answer 8

Adaptive and functional

Question 9

Evaluation of failure to function adequately-
-the behaviour might be quite functional

An example of a mental disorder which can be functional and why?

🍔🚷

Answer 9

Eating disorders…

…can lead to extra attention for the individual (can be rewarding)

Question 10

Evaluation of failure to function adequately-
-strengths

What does this definition of abnormality acknowledge?

Answer 10

Recognises subjective experiences of the patient

Question 11

Evaluation of failure to function adequately-
-strengths

What does this subjective knowledge allow us to do?

Answer 11

View a mental disorder from the point of view of the person experiencing it

Question 12

Evaluation of failure to function adequately-
-strengths

What is the idea of “failure to function” easy to do in regard to observing abnormality?

Answer 12

It is relatively easy to judge objectively because we can list behaviours (as in WHODAS)

Question 13

What is deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 13

Abnormality (mental illness) which is defined by the absence of signs of mental health

Question 14

Who proposed this idea of “deviation from ideal mental health”?

Answer 14

Marie Jahoda (1958)

Question 15

What 6 categories did Jahoda develop from a review of other people who had written about good mental health which she believed were the characteristics that enable an individual to feel happy and behave competently?

Answer 15

• Self-attitudes
• Personal growth/self actualisation
• integration
• autonomy
• accurate perception of reality
• mastery of the environment

Question 16

What does deviation from ideal mental health propose in regard to the criteria?

Answer 16

Absence of these criteria indicates abnormality and potential mental disorder

Question 17

What is there an overlap in between “deviation from ideal mental health” and “failure to function adequately”?

Answer 17

In both definitions not being able to cope with stressful situations is a sign of abnormality

Question 18

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
-unrealistic criteria

In regard to the criteria what would most people be considered?

Answer 18

Abnormal

Question 19

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
-unrealistic criteria

What must be considered before a person is judged to be abnormal?

Answer 19

How many of of the criteria needs to be lacking

Question 20

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
-unrealistic criteria

The criteria is quite ——— to measure?

Therefore…

Answer 20

The criteria is quite difficult to measure?

Therefore… It’s is not really useable when it come to identifying abnormality

Question 21

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
Suggests that mental health is the same as physical health

Physical illness tend to have physical causes (hence are relatively easy to detect and diagnose)

However while mental disorders can have physical causes (e.g. Brain injury/drug abuse) most are not cause by physical occurrences.

What a mental disorders usually a consequence of?

Answer 21

Life experiences

Question 22

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
Suggests that mental health is the same as physical health

What is unlikely between mental abnormality and physical abnormality?

Answer 22

That they can be diagnosed in the same way

Question 23

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
-positive approach

What is difference about “deviation from mental health” in comparison to other definitions?

Answer 23

Offers an alternative perspective on mental disorder by focusing on the positives in regard to what would be desirable instead of undesirable ✨

Question 24

Evaluation of ideal mental health-
-positive approach

What did Jahoda’s ideas influence on despite never really being taken up by health professionals?

Answer 24

Positive psychology movement