Definitions of abnormality

• Define statistical infrequency as a definition of abnormality?

  When an individual has a less common characteristic according to the statistic of the general population
• define deviation from social norms as a definition of abnormality?


  When an individual shows behaviours that are different to the accepted norms in society
• A strength of statistical infrequency as a definition of abnormality is its real life applications In helping in the clinical diagnosis of Intellectual disability disorder
• a limitation of statistical infrequency is that the unusual characteristic that the person shows may not be a negative thing
• A strength of deviation from social norms is It’s real life applications when Diagnosing antisocial personality disorder (Failing to conform to social behaviours, eg- overly aggressive)
• Define failure to function adequately?

  A person is unable to cope with the ordinary demands of day-to-day living eg- Severe personal distress
• define deviation from ideal mental health?

  When a person does not meet the criteria of good mental health eg- Good self esteem + ability to cope with stress
• A limitation of failure to function adequately is that some individuals who do not fit this criterion still suffer from psychological disorders such as OCD which has impact on daily life in a different way
• A strength of failure to function adequately is that it acts as a threshold for when people need help eg- meeting the criteria indicates they may need support
• A strength of deviation from ideal mental health is It has a Highly comprehensive level of criteria
• a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health is it may be culture-bound as th criteria are not necessarily applicable in all cultures
• 2 limitations of deviation from ideal mental health:

  • Culture bound- some countries have different definitions of what ideal mental health consists of and when it would be appropriate to seek professional help 
  • High standards- the definition has very high standards as to what ideal mental health is, which most people will likely deviate slightly from, making the standards almost impossible to meet perfectly