Failure to function adequately

• Failure to function adequately - Occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day living
• Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) proposed signs that can be used to determine when someone is not coping:

  • When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules e.g. respecting personal space
  • When a person experiences severe personal distress
  • When a person's behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous for themselves or others
• Example: Intellectual disability disorder

  Criteria for diagnosis

  • Having a very low IQ (a statistical infrequency)
  • AND failing to function adequately
• STRENGTH of Failure to function criterion: MEASURABLE

  • Example: The GAF scale is a method of measuring how well individual's function in everyday life, considers Rosenhan and Seligmans's sections - allows for the extent of the failure to function to be measured
  • Link: So the decision of whether a behaviour is abnormal or not can be made in a relatively objective way
• STRENGTH of Failure to function criterion: Behaviour is OBSERVABLE

  • Example: Can be seen by others around the individual, eg not getting out of the bed in the morning
  • Link: So problems can be picked up by others, and can intervene
• WEAKNESS of Failure to function criterion: Everyday life varies

  • 'Normal' everyday life varies within and across cultures
  • Example: Not having a job/permanent address may seem like failing to function. However, some alternative lifestyles choose to live 'off-grid'
  • Link: People who make unusual choices are at risk of being labelled as abnormal and their freedom of choice may be restricted