Psychopathology

• New information and new methods of evaluation replace misconceptions about people with psychological disturbances
• There is no single, final, widely accepted truth about what constitutes psychological abnormality
• Today's definitions of psychological abnormality have evolved over the centuries and have changed even within the past few years
• Westernized (particularly the U.S.A.) views tend to dominate in defining abnormality, leading to cultural bias
• Views deviating from Western scientific perspective are often regarded as primitive, unscientific, and second rate
• The concept of what is 'normal' depends entirely on the culture and time we are in
• Psychological abnormality has many faces and affects all of us directly or indirectly
• Psychologists have yet to find a definition of abnormality that works for people of all ages, genders, cultures, and time periods
• Throughout history, different explanations have been proposed to understand and define abnormal behaviour, for example demonic possession or witchcraft
• Guidelines exist for defining abnormality and practical standards for the formal diagnosis of disorders (DSM IV)
• Defining psychological abnormality is difficult and involves explaining not only what it is but also what it is not
• Four definitions of abnormality

  • Deviation from social norms
  • Failure to function adequately
  • Statistical infrequency
  • Deviation from ideal mental health
• Modern Western views explaining abnormality are not the only ones or the correct ones
• Explanations of abnormality are influenced by historical time, different cultures, and societies
• Theories about the causes and treatments of mental disorders derive from a Western scientific perspective
• Culture

  • Hearing voices is a social norm in some cultures but considered abnormal in others
  • Homosexuality continues to be considered abnormal in some cultures
• Deviation from social norms

  Behaviour that deviates from the social norms of a society
• Historical time

  • In Victorian times, a woman having sex outside marriage was considered abnormal
  • Until 1973, homosexuality was classified as a mental illness and therefore abnormal behaviour
• Evaluation

  1. Strength: Useful for medical professionals

  2. Weakness: Defines conforming neurotics as the most normal

  3. Weakness: Cannot be used universally

  4. Weakness: Can be used to commit human rights abuses
• Situation

  • Killing in war is seen as normal behaviour but considered abnormal in other contexts
• Age

  • A toddler having a tantrum in a supermarket would be considered normal but a thirty-year-old behaving in that way would not
• Definitions of abnormality

  • Every society sets norms or unwritten rules for acceptable behaviour
  • Behaviour that deviates from these social norms is considered 'abnormal'
• A strength of the deviation from social norms definition is that it can be useful for medical professionals.


  Because the definition can be used to diagnose conditions such as antisocial personality disorder, adding value to the definition
• A weakness of deviation from social norms definition is that it defines conforming neurotics as the most normal

  Confirming neurotics conform strictly to social norms and worry excessively about the fear of rejection, which would be considered normal according to the deviation from social norms definition
• A weakness of the deviation from social norms definition is that it can be used to commit human rights abuses.

  Oppressive political regimes have classified anyone who disagree with them as having a mental disorder, confined them in psychiatric institutions. In history, women could be diagnosed with nymphomania (uncontrollable sexual desire) and black slaves with drapetomania. Means definition can be used by state to control people
• What is a failure to function adequately?

  This means that a person cannot cope with the demands of day to day life and so cannot live normally. They might lay in bed all day or not wash, such people do not experience a normal range of emotions or participate in a normal range of behaviour.
• A failure to function adequately can interfere and disrupt everyday living, considers abnormal if it negatively affects their work, family, and social relationships, causing distress and dysfunction
• What did Rosenman and Seligman propose about failure to function adequately?

  They proposed 6 main features of abnormal behaviour and a failure to function adequately. Personal distress, maladaptive behaviour, unpredictability, irrationality, unconventionality, observer discomfort. More of these behaviours that are present, the more ‘abnormal’ an individual is.
• a strength of the failure to function adequately definition is that it can be useful for medical professionals


  This is because it provides a threshold for when an individual needs professional help, usually when we fail to function adequately is when e get help. Means treatment and services can be targeted to those most in need.
• A weakness of failure to function adequately definition is that it fails to take circumstance into account

  Symptoms that may be seen as ‘abnormal’ may be a normal response to circumstances e.g., losing a loved one, where no response would be abnormal. Also makes it easy to label people with non standard lifestyle choices as abnormal e.g., not having a job. Means may be unfair to label as abnormal
• A weakness of the failure to function adequately definition is that people can function adequately and still be mentally disordered. 


  Harold Shipman was a doctor who was well respected and functioned adequately yet he was a mass murderer. Means some people who would be considered abnormal eg murderers are normal according to the failure to function adequately definition
• How can we use the normal distribution curve in the statistical infrequency definition?

  There is a central average which is the mean, how far behaviour is from that average, the more abnormal it is.
• A strength of the statistical infrequency definition is that it can be useful for medical professionals.


  In clinical practice, this definition may be useful in diagnosing and assessing people eg Becks depression inventory uses a score of 30+ as an indication of severe depression. Means services and treatment can be targeted to those most in need.
• A weakness of the statistical infrequency definition is that it doesn’t take desirability of behaviour into account


  Very high intelligence is abnormal according to this definition but most in society would see it as a positive behaviour eg would class Steven Hawkins, a genius, as abnormal. Means desirability of behaviour needs to be considered when defining abnormality
• A weakness of the statistical infrequency definition is that it relies on subjective interpretation.


  Whilst the further away a behaviour is from the average, the more abnormal it is, there is not an exact cut off point for normal/abnormal. Means one person could be labelled as abnormal, another displaying same behaviour as normal based on where someone decides where the cut off point is
• What is considered ideal mental health?

  Ideal mental health is achieved by having a set of behaviors which produce a healthy state of mind
• What is a deviation from ideal mental health?

  Movement away from these set of behaviours is considered abnormal.
• What did Jahoda identify in regards to deviation from ideal mental health?

  Identified six criteria of normality and ideal mental health. Positive self attitude, autonomy, potential for growth and development, accurate perception of reality, environmental competence and positive relationships. The further away people are away from these ideals, the more abnormal they are.
• A strenfth of the deviation from ideal mental health definition is that it can help people to self assess. 


  We can use the criteria as a checklist to assess ourselves, finding the right support eg humanistic counsellor focuses on achievement and positive self attitude. Means definition holds practical value to someone who wants to improve their mental health
• A weakness of the deviation from ideal mental health definition is that a universal ideal mental health may not exist 


  This is because definition doesn’t account for culture and individual differences. What is ideal mental health may vary from one person to another eg in collectivist cultures autonomy is not considered an ideal characteristic. Means people may be labelled as abnormal when they have different ideals