PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

• The DSM-5 is the latest version of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, which provides criteria to diagnose mental disorders.
• DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY-failure to function adequately means you cannot cope or complete regular tasks ie hygiene
• DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY- statistical infrequency means that you are part of a statistical minority, most people dont have or do what you do
• DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY-deviation from social norms means your behaviour is considered strange or unacceptable by others
• DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY-deviation from ideal mental health means that you are feeling excessively anxious or sad etc
• Diathesis stress- theorists believe that genetic vulnerability and environmental stress interact to produce a disorder
• Stressors can be acute or chronic
• Acute stressors are short term events which cause distress e.g death of loved one
• Different types of diatheses include biological predispositions such as genetics and psychological factors like personality traits
• Chronic stressors are long term events which cause distress e.g poverty, abuse
• Strengths of using 'Deviation from social norms' as a definition of abnormality

  • Allows for developmental norms
  • Gives a social dimension to the idea of abnormality
  • Looks at an individual's abnormal behaviour and seeks to protect society from it
  • Has a clear indication of what is considered normal and abnormal as most of us understand and are aware of social norms in our own culture
  • Allows society to get involved in individuals abnormal behaviour and help them, when they may not be able to seek or identify the help they need
• Developmental norms


  E.g. it may be normal for a 1-year-old to be carried everywhere by its parent, but this would be abnormal if it was a 50-year-old
• There are limitations to using 'Deviation of social norms' as a definition of abnormality
• Limitations of using 'Deviation of social norms' as a definition of abnormality


  • Changes over time
  • Ethnocentric
  • Cultural differences
  • Individualism
• This definition does not explain abnormality changing over time
• Homosexuality was not removed from the ICD until the 1990s
• This definition is based on western societal norms and reflects the majority, which is a white population
• Cochrane (1977) found that in Britain, black people were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than white people, however, this was not in countries with a majority black population, such as Jamaica, which suggests there is a diagnostic bias
• This definition does not make it clear how to deal with cultural differences in normal and abnormal behaviour
• This definition does not account for those who do not conform to social norms but are not abnormal, such as those that are individualistic or eccentric in their behaviour
• 'Failure to function adequately' as a definition of abnormality


  • Observable behaviour - focuses on behaviours which can be observed in the individual, allowing others to judge if the individual appears to have abnormal behaviours
  • Checklist - provides individuals with a practical checklist to check their behaviour
  • Personal perspective - allows the individual to have their own perspective of the mental disorder by recognising the personal experience of those suffering
  • Represents a threshold for help - provides a clear criteria for when individuals need professional help
• Using 'Failure to function adequately' as a definition of abnormality

  Has limitations
• Limitations of using 'Failure to function adequately' as a definition of abnormality


  • Discrimination
  • Abnormality is normal
  • Abnormality and dysfunction do not always go together
• Discrimination


  • Labelling individuals who make unusual life choices, e.g. those who complete unusual spiritual activities or base jumpers, as abnormal
  • Discriminating against cultures who make different life choices, e.g. Travellers, who may not live at a permanent address and choose not to work
• Abnormality is normal


  • Behaving abnormally is normal at the loss of a loved one, through a divorce, taking exams
• Abnormality and dysfunction do not always go together

  • People with dangerous personality disorders, such as psychopaths, can appear normal, e.g. Harold Shipman a respected doctor who murdered over 200 patients but was seen as a respectable doctor
• Strengths of using 'Deviation of mental health' as a definition of abnormality


  • Holistic - looks at the whole person and their behaviour, instead of focusing on singular behaviours
  • Comprehensive - includes a range of reasons as to why individuals may need help with their mental health, and a range of criteria for distinguishing mental health from illness
  • Positive approach - focuses on positive behaviours and what is desirable instead of undesirable behaviours
  • Consistent - provides a consistent and standardised measurement for those looking at both positive and negative mental health
• Limitations of using 'Deviation from ideal mental health' as a definition of abnormality


  • It is culturally specific for western cultures, while collectivist cultures would see autonomy as undesirable
  • It has over demanding criteria that are often hard to achieve constantly or all of the time
  • It does not account for changes over time, where behaviours that were once seen as normal are now abnormal and vice versa
  • It tries to treat mental health in the same way as physical health, however, mental health is much more subjective and needs to be looked at in the context of the patient
  • Diagnosing a patient with mental health is more complex than self questionnaires and often experienced professionals struggle to come up with an accurate diagnosis
• Evaluation of statistical infrequency

  Strengths

  • This method of defining abnormality uses an objective, standardised measure which means that it is reliable
  • Distribution curves are based on real data and, therefore, should be unbiased
• Weaknesses

  • Depression is regarded as abnormal behaviour (a psychopathology) yet is so prevalent (1 in 6 adults in the UK have depression - 17% of the population) which means that it is not statistically deviant, hence using this as a measure of abnormality is unrepresentative
  • Having an IQ of 130 might be regarded as advantageous rather than as evidence of 'abnormality'