Normailty vs Abnormality

Question 1

Normality

Answer 1

Conforms to standard, regular, typical.

Question 2

Abnormal

Answer 2

Unusual, violates norms, statistically infrequent, dangerous

Question 3

Three Criteria of Abnormal

Answer 3

Deviation from the norm - relates to statistical averages, however something may be statistically abnormal but still desirable (eg IQ)
Causes distress - need to consider this in terms of the individual
Culturally unacceptable - people who break the rules are seen as abnormal, however this is not a stable construct because societal values change over time.

Question 4

Issues with Classifying Abnormality

Answer 4

May perpetuate myths about mental illness, labelling carries certain stigmas, may lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 5

Categorical Diagnosis

Answer 5

Individuals are classified as normal or abnormal based on a set of objective criteria. Aids treatment and communication across practitioners.

Question 6

Critiques of Categorical Diagnosis

Answer 6

Arbitrary cut off between normal and abnormal, high level of comorbidities, differences in criteria interpretation occur across practitioners.

Question 7

Dimensional Diagnosis

Answer 7

Pathological behaviour is an extreme form of normal behaviour, thus by placing people on a continuum we can diagnose and treat. Less comorbidities.

Question 8

Critiques of Dimensional Diagnosis

Answer 8

Still have to categorise normal and abnormal at some point, harder to implement, years of research isn’t there to aid in treatment.

Question 9

Psychiatric Diagnosis

Answer 9

The process of determining the nature of a disorder based on signs, symptoms, context and tests. Diagnosis allows for clear communication between practitioners, helps focus research, aids identification of causes and helps make predictions about treatments and prognosis. Even though it may not always be reliable, it must be done.