Psychopathology - Definitions of abnormality

Question 1

What are the 4 ways to define an abnormality?

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

What is Statistical infrequency?

Answer 2

Members of the population that fall outside the standard deviation, on the normal distribution curve.

Question 3

What is considered statistically infrequent?

Answer 3

• /+2 SD of the mean

2. 1% (on each side of the curve)

Question 4

What % of the population will be within the 1 SD of the mean?

Answer 4

68%

Question 5

What % of the population will be within the 2 SD of the mean?

Answer 5

95%

Question 6

What are the limitations of statistical infrequency?

Answer 6

• Both ends of the curve should be considered abnormal, but isn’t
• 8-10% of the UK have depression, behaviour doesn’t have to be rare to be abnormal

Question 7

What is the strength of statistical infrequency?

Answer 7

In clinical diagnosing it is useful to know frequency of behaviour. Diagnosis will always require other features than just unusualness.

Question 8

What is deviation from social norms?

Answer 8

Behaviour that goes against unwritten expectations and rules in a society/culture.

Question 9

What are examples of past things that were considered against social norms?

Answer 9

Inter-racial marriage
Children being born to single mothers
Men having long hair
(These were looked down just in society not a clinical diagnosis)

Question 10

What are the limitations of deviation from social norms?

Answer 10

Things that professionals call abnormal may not be considered abnormal in the future. E.g. homosexuality was a mental disorder in the DSM until 1973.
Varies across culture.
Can be used to support discrimination. E.g. Drapetomania is a ‘mental illness’ that caused black slaves to run away in 1851.

Question 11

What is a strength of deviation from social norms?

Answer 11

Has ideas about desired behaviour. So can be used to refer to what is socially acceptable.
E.g. can be used to diagnose Antisocial personality disorder (this is where a person is manipulative, deceitful and reckless, and will not care for other people’s feelings.)

Question 12

What is failure to function adequately?

Answer 12

This is where someone is unable to cope with the daily demands of everyday life.

Question 13

What are the 4 criteria of failure to function adequately?

Answer 13

• Person cannot cope with the demands of everyday life
• Behaviour is maladaptive/irrational or dangerous
• Behaviour causes distress to the person
• Behaviour causes distress to others

Question 14

What are the strengths of failure to function adequately?

Answer 14

• Takes into account the feelings of the person and the affects of those around them
• Used in the DSM for disorders such as OCD, anxiety and depression

Question 15

What are the limitations of failure to function adequately?

Answer 15

• It is subjective judgement made by the psychiatrist as there is no objective test
• Others distress could be due to social norms being broken

Question 16

What is deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 16

When someone does not meet the criteria for good-mental health.
Criteria:
Good self-esteem
Self-actualisation
Ability to cope with stress
Realistic view of the world
Independence from other people
Environmental mastery

GAS RIE