Transcript Abnormal Psychology

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A psychological disorder must meet 3 criteria:
 Psychological dysfunction within an individual
 Cause distress or impairment in functioning
 Have a response that is not typical or culturally
expected
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Psychological dysfunction refers to a
breakdown in the cognitive, emotional, or
behavioral functioning of a person
Must know the context of the situation and
the person
The line between normal and abnormal
dysfunction can be difficult
Most disorders are on a continuum
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The behavior must cause extreme distress to
the individual
However, distress and suffering is a part of
human existence
Some disorders require a lack of distress to be
diagnosed!
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Behavior may be abnormal because it
deviates from the accepted average
However, many artists deviate from the
average!
Behavior may be abnormal if it violates social
norms, but it depends how your society
defines normal. Different cultures believe in
different things.
Behavior may be abnormal if it is out of the
person’s control.
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A psychological dysfunction is behavioral,
emotional, or cognitive dysfunctions that are
unexpected in their cultural context and
associated with personal distress or
substantial impairment in functioning.
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Psychopathology is the scientific study of
psychological disorders.
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Three weeks ago, Jane, a 35-year-old
business executive, stopped showering,
refused to leave her apartment, and started
watching television talk shows. Threats of
being fired have failed to bring Jane back to
reality, and she continues to spend her days
staring blankly at the television screen. Which
of the 3 definitions of abnormality apply to
Jane’s situation?
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Miguel recently began feeling sad and lonely.
Although still able to function at work and
fulfill other responsibilities, he finds himself
feeling down much of the time and he worries
about what is happening to him. Which of the
3 definitions of abnormality apply to him?
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Requires several professionals:
 Clinical psychologists
 Counselling psychologists
 Psychiatrists
 Psychiatric social workers
 Psychiatric nurses
 Marriage and family therapists
 Mental health practioners
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Presenting problem-original complaint made
by the client to the therapist
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Prevalence-number of people displaying a
disorder in the total population
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Incidence-number of new cases of a disorder
appearing during a specific time period
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Course-pattern of development and change
of the disorder over time
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Prognosis-predicted future development of a
disorder over time
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Etiology-Cause or source of a disorder
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For the next few questions, fill in the blank
with either:
 Presenting problem
 Prevalence
 Incidence
 Prognosis
 Course
 Etiology
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1. Maria should recover quickly with no
intervention necessary. Without treatment,
John will deteriorate rapidly. __________
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2. Three new cases of bulimia have been
reported in this city, and only one in the next
city during this past month. _________
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3. Elizabeth visited the campus mental health
center because of her increasing feelings of
guilt and anxiety. ___________
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4. Biological, psychological, and social
influences all contribute to a variety of
disorders. ____________
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5. The pattern a disorder follows can be
chronic, time limited, or episodic. _________
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On a side note, what is the difference
between chronic and episodic?
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6. How many people in the population as a
whole suffer from OCD?__________
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PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Throughout history, many societies have held quite different
views of the problems that we consider to be mental disorders.
The search for explanations of the causes of abnormal behavior
dates to ancient times, as do conflicting opinions about the
etiology of mental disorders. Ancient records attribute abnormal
behaviour to the disfavor of the gods or the mischief of demons.
Models for Studying Psychopathology
1. Supernatural Model
2. Biological Model
3. The Psychological Model
What purpose do these Models serve?
These models try to explain the cause of individual abnormal
behavior. Each model represents its own individual interpretation
of psychopathology and recommends its individual treatment
procedures.
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Read 1 of the 3 historical models for
psychopathology
 Supernatural (blue chip)
 Biological (red chip)
 Psychological (white chip)
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