psychopathology Flashcards
what is infrequency
abnormal behaviour is very rare
what are statistics (measure how rare a behaviour is)
how common behaviour can be measured in comparison to the rest of the population most unusual identified as abnormal
what is an example of statistical infrequency
defining someone who is two standard deviations from the average, just 2.28% of the population as an objective measure of individuals support.
evaluation of statistical infrequency
- deciding where the cut of point is subjective
- the definition excludes depression and anxiety, 17% adults surveyed in England by the NHS met the criteria for common mental disorder
what is failure to function adequately
some people have the inability to cope with everyday life, some individuals struggle to meet the demanding requirements of everyday life
what are the feature of failure to function adequately identified by Rosenhan and Seligman
maladaptive behaviour
personal anguish
observer discomfort
irrational and unpredictability
what is maladaptive behaviour
individuals behave in ways against their long term interests e.g., self harm
what is personal anguish
suffering anxiety and stress because of inability to cope
what is observer discomfort
a behaviour causes distress to people around them such as poor personal hygiene
what is irritational and unpredictability
behaviour that is hard to understand and uncontrollable
strengths of failure to function adequately
definition respects the patients own lived experience and perspective
weaknesses to function adequately
- if an individual is “coping” or not is a subjective definition and it is the observers opinion.
- some abnormal behaviour is not linked to the inability to cope, many psychopaths may be able to function in the roles of society.
- not all maladaptive behaviour is an indication of mental illness, smoking is against long term interests but not an example of mental illness
