Explanation and treatment of abnormal behaviour

• Behaviourist:

  Abnormality arises from maladaptive or faulty learning. Behavioural therapies take a symptom-based approach to the unlearning of behaviour
• Social learning:

  Principles such as modelling have been used to explain the development of aggressive behaviour
• Cognitive:

  Led to cognitive therapies such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in the treatment of depression, which aims to eradicate faulty thinking
• Biological:

  Psychoactive drugs that regulate chemical imbalances in the brain have revolutionised the treatment of mental disorders
• Psychodynamic:

  Anxiety disorders emerge from unconscious conflicts and overuse of defence mechanisms. Psychoanalysis aims to put people in touch with their unconscious thoughts
• Humanistic:

  Humanistic therapy, or counselling, is based on the idea that reducing incongruence will stimulate personal growth