Psychopathology

Question 1

Psychopathology

Answer 1

the study of mental disorders

Question 2

Mental Disorders

Answer 2

difficult to define as what is ‘abnormality’? Context matters.

Question 3

Elements of Mental Disorders

Answer 3

• Infrequency
• Deviance
• Distress
• Disability
• Danger

Question 4

Infrequency

Answer 4

statistical infrequency in behaviours e.g., auditory hallucinations
PROBLEM: yes, some mental disorders are infrequent e.g., schizophrenia, but some disorders appear quite frequently

Question 5

Deviance

Answer 5

• Contextual Deviance (Cultural relativism, Gender role expectations)

PROBLEM: Saying that behaviours or activity deviating from the ‘social norm’ problematic, Subcultural norms, Stereotypes: e.g., women who drive race cars or men showing emotion

Question 6

Distress

Answer 6

• Suffering and desire to discontinue the behaviour

PROBLEM: insight; not everyone with mental health disorders will be distressed or in pain. People who are arrogant or entitled in their attitudes would not think they have a problem.

Question 7

Disability

Answer 7

• Impairment

PROBLEM: Idea that disability or impairment captures all people with mental disorders is not sufficient

Question 8

Danger

Answer 8

• Harm to self or others

PROBLEM: does not encapsulate all mental disorders

Question 9

Psychological Treatments for Mental Disorder

Answer 9

• psychodynamic approaches
• humanistic approaches
• behavioural approaches
• cognitive-behavioural approaches
• integrated/eclectic treatments

Question 10

Biomedical Treatments for Mental Disorder

Answer 10

• see mental illness as a disease
• focus on changing source aspect of physical functioning (usually alter some form of neurotransmitter activity)
• treat with medication or surgery