failure to function adequately

• what does failure to function adequately mean

  • abnormality can be judged in terms of the failure to cope with the demands of everyday life. - standards of nutrition, hygiene, social relationships, holding down a job. to asses this clinicians use the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, which rates their level of social, occupational and psychological functioning.
• strength- represents a threshold

  • a sensible threshold for when people need professional help

  according to the mental health charity Mind, around 25% of people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. however, many people press on in the face of fairly severe symptoms. it tends to be to the point that we cease to function adequately that people seek pro help or are noticed by others.
• limitation- psychological disorders are not always accompanied by the failure to function

  people with dangerous personality disorders can cause great harm, yet often appear to function normally. e.g Harold Shipman, the English doctor who murdered at least 215 of his patients over a 23year period did not display any features of dysfunction. not all behaviour is recognised by this defintion
• limitation- some dysfunctional behaviour can be adaptive and functional for the individual

  mental disorders such as eating disorders or depression may led to extra attention for the individual. such attention is rewarding and thus quite functional rather than dysfunctional. the failure to distinguish between functional and dysfunctional behaviours means that this definition is incomplete.
• limitation- may not be linked to a disorder

  holding down a job and supporting a family may be due to economic conditions. this may particularly be the case in subcultures such as immigrant communities. prejudice and discrimination may prevent people from finding jobs and developing careers. therefore, it is important to consider other factors which could be preventing an individual from functioning adequately
• limitation - cultural relativism

  cultural ideas of how one's life should be lived. this may be why low class and non-white individuals are more often diagnosed with psychological disorders. their lifestyles may be non-traditional, and this may lead to a judgement by others of failing to function adequately. cannot be a full definition of abnormality as it is related to culture.