PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Question 1

Definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

1. statistical infrequency
2. deviation from social norms
3. failure to function adequately
   4.. deviations from ideal mental health

Question 2

1. statistical infrequency

Answer 2

• implies a mental disorder to be abnormal if it is two standard deviations away from the mean incident rates represented on a normally distributed bell curve.

Question 3

strength of statistical infrequency

Answer 3

• always used in clinical diagnosis of mental disorders as a comparison for baseline or a normal value. to assess the severity of the condition.

Question 4

limitations of statistical infrequency

Answer 4

• assumes any abnormal characteristics to be negative which doesnt implies on people with a higher iq score. any good definition shouldnot identify people with higher intelligence to be abnormal and in need of additional support.
• psychological community decides the cut off point for what is considered statistically rare to be defined a s abnormal which is subjective with real life implications

Question 5

failure to function adequately

Answer 5

• proposed by Rosenhan and Seligman (1989), defines a person to be abnormal if they cannot cope in their daily lives, including interaction with the world and meet their challenges. they identified 5 different criterias.

Question 6

criterias according to rosenhan and seligman

Answer 6

1. irrationality - illogical and unreasonable behaviour
2. personal distress - affected by emotions to an excessive degree
3. dysfunction behaviour - goes against accepted social norms
4. unexpected behaviour
5. observer discomfort - behaviour causes distress to other individuals to become uncomfortable

Question 7

strength of failure to function adequately

Answer 7

• takes account into patients perspective so the final diagnosis consists of patients self reported symptoms and psychiatrists objective opinions which may lead to an accurate diagnosis as its not constrained by statistical limits.

Question 8

limitations of failure to function adequately

Answer 8

• cultural relativism - what seen as functioning adequately in one culture might not be adequate in other culture - different diagnosis in different cultures
• not all maladaptive behaviours indicate mental illness.

Question 9

deviation from social norms

Answer 9

• social norms are unwritten expectations of behaviours that can vary from culture to culture and changes over time.
• deviation from any of these accepted social norms may be considered as abnormal or social deviants.

Question 10

strength of deviation from social norms

Answer 10

• not ethnocentric, respects the differences between cultures.

Question 11

limitations of deviation from social norms

Answer 11

• as it relies on subjective social norms, sufferes from cultural relativism. example hearing sound etc is considered positive in most asian and african cultures as they believe it to be linked with spirituality and ancestors however in western cultures, it is seen as a symptom of schizophrenia.
• changes over time, homosexuality used to be identified as a disorder by dsm however it was dropped because homosexuals and heterosexuals do not differ in terms of psychological well being.

Question 12

deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 12

• Jahoda (1958) identified 6 criterias for ideal mental health. deviation from any of these criterias identified people may be abnormal

Question 13

6 criterias identified by mary jahoda

Answer 13

PARPAS
1. positive self attitude
2. adaptation of the environment
3. resistance to stress
4. personal autonomy
5. actual perception of reality
9. self actualisation

Question 14

strength of DISM

Answer 14

• holistic approach to mental health as it considers on multiple factors on diagnosis and provides suggestions for personal development.

Question 15

limitations of DISM

Answer 15

• suffers from cultural relativism,
  concept of self actualisation which suggests that you must put yourself first to achieve your full potential is argued in collectivist culture example china where they focus on groups rather than individuals.
• also concept of self actualisation is more popular in individualist culture. so it could be accepted as definition of abnormality in some individualist culture only.
• strict criterias to meet - jahoda might have had an unrealistic expectation of ideal mental health.