failure to function adequately

• Failure to function adequately is when someone is unable to cope with the demands of everyday life
• Rosenhan and Seligman identified 7 abnormal characteristics that indicate symptoms of abnormality
• a person who is not functioning adequately is unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition or hygiene or they cannot keep a job or relationship
• A limitation of failure to function adequately is that it is based on subjective judgements
• There are methods to make judgements more objective such as Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. This allows for a more scientific approach to diagnosing mental disorders
• however, it is difficult to assess health and say if a person is suffering so diagnosis remains with the psychiatrist
• None of the criteria alone can be used to define abnormality since bizarre or maladaptive behaviour e.g extreme sports might actually allow a person to function in a given context
• This is a limitation because this definition risks limiting personal freedom
• abnormal characteristics:

  • when a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
  • severe personal distress
  • behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others