Failure to function

• According to the Failure to Function Adequately (FFA) definition how is a person considered abnormal? [3]

  A person is considered abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life and lie independently in society. Furthermore their behaviour should cause personal suffering and distress because of their failure to cope, they may also cause distress or discomfort to others who observe their behaviour.
• What are Rosenhan's 7 criteria of which patients must meet all or most to be considered abnormal?

  • Personal distress. - Anxiety/depression.
  • Maladaptive behaviour. - Behaviour that prevents goals being met.
  • Unpredictability. - E.g. mood swings.
  • Irrationality. - Behaviour appears illogical to others.
  • Observer discomfort. - Observers are uncomfortable.
  • Violation of moral standards. - Deviates from expectations of society.
  • Unconventionality. - Behaviour isn't expected in the context that it occurs in.
• What is personal distress referring to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  Emotional discomfort like anxiety or depression.
• What is maladaptive behaviour referring to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  Behaviour that prevents someone from achieving their goals
• Give an example of maladaptive behaviour.

  A phobia is a maladaptive behaviour due to it's interference in everyday life.
• Joe has an intense fear of planes and cannot bare the thought of going on one, however he really wants to work in Italy. How may this be an example of maladaptive behaviour?

  Due to Joe's phobia of planes interfering with his ability to leave the UK this may limit his job opportunities as he cannot get a job in Italy. This therefore prevents Joe from achieving his goals in life.
• What is unpredictability referring to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  This refers to unforeseen behaviour like randomly hitting someone. This may be a result of mood swings.
• What is irrationality referring to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  This refers to behaviour that appears illogical or irrational to observers.
• What is observer discomfort referring to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  This refers to the behaviour of the person making observers uncomfortable.
• What is violation of moral standards referring to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  This refers to someone deviating from moral standards and the expectations of society.
• What does unconventionality refer to in Rosenhan's 7 criteria?

  This refers to behaviour that isn't expected in the context that is has occurred in.
• Sarah wears Victorian era clothes everyday, how may this be seen as unconventional in reference to Rosenhan's criteria.

  This is a socially unexpected behaviour due to the infrequency that this occurs in therefore making Sarah's behaviour appear eccentric to observers as it is not expected.