[Psychopathology] Topic 1,2 - Definitions of abnormalities

Question 1

Statistical infrequency

Answer 1

• Abnormal behaviours are those that are extremely rare, that is, behaviours that are found in in very few people. Normal behaviours are therefore defined as those that are found in the majority of people.
• Example: The normal distribution of women having babies could be from 20-40, any woman having a baby before 20 or after 40 is deemed abnormal
• Evaluation:
  [] Limitation: Some behaviour is desirable for instance people with IQ over 150, SI does not distinguish between desirable and undesirable behaviour

[] Strength: Real life application in the diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder. All mental patients have some sort of assessment consisting of measurements of how severe it is compared to the statistical norms.

Question 2

Deviating from social norms

Answer 2

• Anyone who deviates from socially created norms is considered abnormal
• Example: Not laughing at a funeral, are implicit.
• Evaluation:
  [] Limitations: Social norms vary over time, for example homosexuality was considered a mental disorder. However homosexuality is now considered to be socially acceptable which means that DFSN is based on prevailing social morals and attitudes

[] Strength: Has real life application in the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder.

Question 3

Failure to function adequately

Answer 3

• A person is failing to function adequately if they cannot cope with everyday life. FTFA causes distress and suffering for the person and may cause distress for others. If a behaviour is not personally distressing or distressing others a judgement of abnormality is inappropriate.
• Example: Schizophrenia is defined as abnormal because schizophrenic behaviours distress others even if they are not personally distressing
• Evaluation
  [] Limitations: Some apparently abnormal behaviours can be functional. For example depression may lead to extra attention for the individual which may be rewarding, therefore functional, even if generally regarded as abnormal. This means that FTFA is an incomplete definitions as it fails to distinguish behaviours that are dysfunctional and those that have some function for the individual

[] Strength: It does attempt to include the subjective experience of the individual as it acknowledges that the experience of the individual is important.

Question 4

Deviation from Ideal mental health

Answer 4

• Abnormality is defined as deviating from an ideal of positive mental health defined in terms by Jahoda’s criteria including 6 characteristics such as:
  1) Personal Growth
  2) Self-actualisation
  (having a high self esteem and a strong sense of identity)
  3) Integration (being able to deal with stressful events)
• Example: Not being able to cope with stress is abnormal in both definitions
• Evaluation:
  [] Limitation: Jahoda’s criteria are unrealistic, few people satisfy all of the criteria all of the time. Therefore everyone would be described as abnormal to a degree. This means we need to know how many of Jahoda’s criteria’s must be absent before deemed as abnormal

[] Strength: It is comprehensive, it covers a broad range of criteria for mental health.