From notes

• Definitions of abnormality


  • Statistical infrequency
  • Failure to function adequately
  • Deviation from social norms
  • Deviation from ideal mental health
• Statistical infrequency


  Statistically 'rare' or 'infrequent' behaviours or characteristics, anything 2 or more deviations away from the given 'mean' can be seen as abnormal
• Statistical infrequency definition doesn't take into account desirable characteristics and traits such as high IQ, and makes no distinction between rare but harmless behaviour and rare but dangerous behaviour
• Failure to function adequately


  Someone may be defined as abnormal if they fail to deal with the demands of everyday life, for example getting out of bed or holding down a job
• Criteria for diagnosing abnormal behaviour under failure to function adequately

  • Dysfunctional behaviour
  • Observer discomfort
  • Unpredictable behaviour
  • Irrational behaviour
  • Personal distress
• Deviation from social norms


  When people stray from society's 'norms' -which are expected behaviours in society
• Jahoda's conditions for 'ideal' mental health

  • Positive self-attitude
  • Self-actualisation
  • Resistance to stress
  • Personal autonomy
  • Accurate perception
  • Environmental mastery
• It is hard to meet all of Jahoda's criteria for 'ideal' mental health
• Symptoms of mental illness as defined by UKDoH


  • Impairment of intellectual functions
  • Alterations to mood
  • Delusional beliefs
  • Disordered thinking
• Depression


  A 'mood disorder', with two major types: major depression and manic depression
• Characteristics of depression


  • Behavioural
  • Cognitive
  • Emotional
• Cognitive approach to explaining depression


  Assumes depression comes from faulty processing, including Beck's negative triad and Ellis' ABC model
• A major issue with the cognitive approach is that it can place the blame for depression on the patient, which can simply worsen their depression
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)


  Aims to dispel irrational thoughts so that clients get a more accurate view of reality, using a 'patient as the scientist' approach
• Rigorous Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)


  Involves the client and therapist having a rigorous, empirical argument to try to dispel the patient's irrational beliefs about themselves
• Types of phobias


  • Specific phobias
  • Agoraphobia
  • Social anxiety disorder
• Phobia characteristics


  • Behavioural
  • Cognitive
  • Emotional
• Two-process model of explaining phobias

  Classical conditioning (through association) explains how phobias are acquired, while operant conditioning (through consequences) explains how phobias are maintained
• Biological preparedness


  Evolutionary factors that can explain how some fears are acquired, not just through a traumatic event
• Flooding


  Immediate, unprotected exposure to the phobic stimulus, but often not used today due to ethical issues
• Systematic desensitisation


  Gradual exposure to the phobic stimulus, using an 'anxiety hierarchy' and learning relaxation techniques
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)


  Characterised by persistent intrusive thoughts ('obsessions') and repetitive actions ('compulsions')
• Types of OCD


  • Hoarding
  • Checking
  • Contamination
  • Orderliness
• Biological explanation for OCD


  Certain genes cause a vulnerability, especially the SERT gene, and there may be a chemical imbalance of serotonin or neurological factors
• Biological treatments for OCD


  SNRIs, SSRIs, and tricyclics (antidepressant drugs) to try to increase serotonin availability
• Many people have issues with taking antidepressants for OCD due to side effects, but there is some experimental evidence that SSRIs work better than placebos at reducing intrusive thoughts