Psychopathology - abnormality

Question 1

4 ways to define abnormality

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

Statistical infrequency

Answer 2

Falls out of the typical/average range

Question 3

Limitations of statistical infrequency

Answer 3

Inflexible (illogical cut off points - 2.5%)
Behaviour can occur frequently (i.e depression - 25%)
Culture (cultural differences)
Characteristics can be positive (i.e IQ > 130 not considered abnormal when low scores are)

Question 4

Strength of statistical infrequency

Answer 4

Objective (mathematical nature -> no bias)
Representative (whole picture & population)
Useful (used in clinical practice - formal diagnoses & assessing symptom severity)
Benefits vs problems (benefit from abnormal classification i.e. low IQ -> access support services)

Question 5

Deviation from social norms

Answer 5

Violation of approved/accepted behaviour

Question 6

Limitations of DFSN

Answer 6

Change over time (legislation changes norms i.e. homosexuality 70s was a mental illness -> weakens temporal validity)
Cultural differences (variation of behaviours across cultures -> unclear what is abnormal -> cultural relativism)

Question 7

Strengths of DfSN

Answer 7

Helps society (adherence to norms means society is ordered & predictable)
Practical application (early identification by clinical practice can allow for earlier interventions & support -> useful)

Question 8

Failure to function adequately

Answer 8

Unable to do everyday things & lead a normal life

Question 9

Limitations of FtFA

Answer 9

Too focused on individual (not a problem for the individual but for people around them)
Doesn’t stop functioning (focus on how they’re coping leads to missing abnormal behaviour -> may appear fine through fitting into society but have distorted thinking)
Subjectivity (definition is not clear as different people interpret life differently, as well as there is no criteria for adequate functioning)

Question 10

Strengths of FtFA

Answer 10

Suggests free will (focused on individual’s perspective -> deem themself as abnormal and receive help)
Operationalised (GAF scale measuring -> objective decision about behaviour)
Falsifiable (Can be seen by others -> others can intervene and help the individual)
Practical applications (people seek help when symptoms are most severe -> help in targeting treatments and services)

Question 11

Deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 11

Absence of factors that indicate psychological well-being (Jahoda 1958)

Question 12

Limitations of DfIMH

Answer 12

Feasibility (Jahoda’s critera makes normality impossible -> majority of population would be abnormal by this definition)
Ethnocentrism (autonomy criteria makes collectivist cultures appear abnormal, non-western cultures would also appear abnormal by the criteria -> not global)
Subjectivity (vague criteria -> difficult to measure)

Question 13

Strengths of DfIMH

Answer 13

Positive (focuses on what is helpful & desirable for individual)
Useful (allows for clear goals to be set & focused on to achieve normality)
Comprehensive definition (provides a checklist to compare ourselves against & discuss issues with psychological professionals)