week 1 Flashcards
psychopathology
psychological dysfunction or psychological abnormality. maladaptive behavior, speech, or thought that impairs the ability of the person to function in a way that is expected of them in the context where the unusual functioning occurs. also the study of the problems faced by people who suffer from such disorders
psychological disorder
a specific manifestation of an impairment of functioning, as described by some criteria determined
mental illness
implies medical cause instead of psychological cause
latest dsm and icd
dsm-5-tr (not V) and ICD-11
who can diagnose
psychologists (PsyD), psychiatrists (MD), general practioners or family doctors (MD). primarily the first 2
who can conduct an assessment
psychotherapists, social workers, nurses (basically other mental health professionals)
who can perform psychotherapy
all of the mentioned (PsyD, MD, MD, psychotherapists, social workers, nurses)
what makes behavior abnormal
rarity, distress, dysfunction, violation of norms, diagnosis by expoert
why is rarity a poor measure for psychopathology
common conditions can be illnesses, unusual functioning can be advantageous
why is personal distress a poor measure for psychopathology
no disgress during a manic episode, distress is a normal part of life and should only be considered if it is persistent or gets worse
what is considered personal dysfunction
failure for internal mechanism to perform naturally selected function, and design harms individual. e.g. you get stabbed by a pencil. it is not the naturally selected function so not dysfunctional
flaws with violation of norms
criminals that do not meet diagnostic criteria violate norms. offensive behavior does not mean disorder. individuals with mental disorder are not dangerous. social norms change over time and differ across cultures
diagnosis by an expert flaws
abnormality is defined by diagnosticians who apply the criteria for disorders according to DSM-5 or ICD-11. There are many potential diagnoses. people don’t always immediately remember what they want to say in sessions.
defining abnormality
no sole criteria sufficies, you need a combination of criteria. generally elusive may be valuable but not always useful in practice
