Mental Health Flashcards
(39 cards)
What are the 3 chose historical explanations
Trephination
Mesopotamian and Egyptian Papyri
Psychoanalysis
What is the time period for trephination
As early as 6500 BC
Describe the trephination explanation
Supernatural explanation
Idea that mental illnesses are caused by evil spirits trapped in the skull
Treated by surgical drillings into the skull to release them
Evaluate trephination in
It is unethical
It is reductionist (can be good as a good explanation - treated epilepsy but not cause of spirits )
What time period is Mesopotamian from
1900 BC
Describe the Mesopotamian explanation
Women suffering from mental illness is due to a uterus dislodged and atf her to parts of body like liver which led to painful symptoms
Somatogenic treatments used of strong smelling substances to guide it back
Evaluate Mesopotamian
It is reductionist
What time period is psychoanalysis from
1900 to 1950’s
What is the explanation for psychoanalysis
Mental illness caused by unresolved trauma / conflict often from childhood
It was the first talking cure where trauma identified in unconscious mind and patients made consciously aware of
Evaluate psychoanalysis
It is holistic - takes into account internal and external - personal expenrienves and unconscious mind
Not scientific - can’t be proved wrong
What are the 3 ways of defining abnormality
Statistical Infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Define the statistical infrequency explanation
The mathematical method for defining abnormality, its is when something occurs rarely then it is considered abnormal (based on standard deviations) the top and bottom 5% is considered abnormal
What are the strengths of statistical infrequency
It is objective - what is abnormal and what isn’t is very clear - no opinions or bias involved
Population validity - it looks at the whole population so can get useful insight
What is a weakness of statistical infrequency
Validity issues because some statistically infrequent behaviours can actually be desirable but still seen as abnormal by this explanation - ie a high iq or low depression score
Describe the deviation from social norms
There are unwritten rules that members of society regard as abnormal behaviours and any deviation from them is considered abnormal
What are 2 strengths of deviation from social norms y
Validity - it distinguishes between desirable and undesirable behaviours ie low depression scores aren’t abnormal
Also flexible
What is a weakness of devotion from social Norms
Temporal validity- what is consisted normal changes over time
Lack of consensus between different generations
Extremely subjective
Describe failure or function adequately
Is they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life and live independently in society (rosenhan and seligman)
Strength and failure to function adequately
It considers how the individual feels so what is abnormal is based entirely on them
It is observable
Weakness of failure to function adequately
Abnormality doesn’t always stop a person from functioning - they could appear fine to others but have inner distress which others can’t see
Subjective features like too vivid which can lead to reduced consistency within psychologists
What are 2 features of failure to function adequately
Unpredictably and loss of control
Irrationality
Suffering and distress
3 headings of dsm 5
Diagnostic classification
Diagnostic criteria sets
Descriptive text
What happens in diagnostic classification
A list of mental disorders and all the similar disorders are grouped together for example anxiety disorders, each disorder also has a code
The disorder that is chosen is based on the one that best reflects the signs and symptoms of the patient
What happens in diagnostic criteria tests
Diagnostic criteria sets for each disorder show what symptoms must be present and how long for as well as what symptoms rule out that disorder
