Summary: Psychopathology

Read the summary and the most important questions on Psychopathology

• 1 Psychopathology

  This is a preview. There are 19 more flashcards available for chapter 1
  Show more cards here

• Define the deviation from social norms definition of abnormality

  Every society has unspoken, unwritten rules for acceptable behaviour, and any behaviour that varies from these norms is abnormal.

• Define the failure to function adequately definition of abnormality

  This definition sees individuals as abnormal when their behaviour suggests that they cannot cope with everyday life. This includes causing distress which leads to the inability to function properly, like being unable to work or have relationships.

• Name the features of personal dysfunction and which definition of abnormality suggests them

  The failure to function adequately definition.
  

  • Personal distress
  • Maladaptive behaviour
  • Unpredictability
  • Irrationality
  • Observer discomfort
  • Violation of modern standards
  • Unconventionality 
    

• Evaluate the failure to function adequately definition of abnormality

  • +It assesses the degree of abnormality because the GAF is scored on a scale, allowing clinicians to see the degree to which individuals are abnormal and decide who needs psychiatric help.
  • +It recognises the personal perspective of suffers and allows mental disorders to e regarded from the perception of the sufferers.
  • -Abnormality is not always accompanied by dysfunction; psychopaths appear normal but cause great harm, such as Harold Shipman.
  • -Normal abnormality; there are times in peoples lives when it is normal to experience distress, such as when a loved one dies. This definition does not consider this.

• Define the deviation from the ideal mental health definition of abnormality

  This definition perceives mental health in a similar way to physical health; by looking for an absence of wellbeing using the "Characteristics of mental health" list.

• Name the six characteristics of ideal mental health

  • A positive attitude to oneself - Having self respect and self-concept.
  • Self-actualisation - A state in which people are motivated to achieve their full potential.
  • Autonomy - Being independent and being able to make your own strategies.
  • Resisting stress - Having effective coping strategies and being able to handle everyday situations of anxiety.
  • Accurate perception of reality - Perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion.
  • Environmental mastery - Being competent in all aspects of life and being able to meet the demands of any situation.

• Define the statistical infrequency definition of abnormality

  Behaviours that are statistically rare are abnormal. Any individual who falls outside of the normal distribution (normally about 5% of the population) is abnormal (two standard deviation points away from the mean).

• Evaluate the statistical infrequency definition of abnormality

  • +In some situations this may be appropriate, such as mental retardation.
  • +The definition is objective once a cut off point has been established and data collected.
  • -Not all infrequent behaviours are abnormal; some rare behaviours and characteristics are desired, such as being highly intelligent.
  • -The definition does not consider cultural factors; what is statistically rare in one culture is statistically normal in others, which can lead to the problem of judging people of one culture by the statistical norms of another.

• What are the three sub-types of phobia?

  • Simple phobias - sufferers have fears of specific things and environments, such as aerophobia (fear of flying) or gephyrophobia (fear of bridges).
  • Social phobias - being over-anxious in social situations, such as performance, interaction, and generalised phobias.
  • Agoraphobia - the fear of leaving home or a safe place, often accompanied by panic attacks. This phobia can be brought on by simple or social phobias.

• Name four common obsessions experienced by OCD sufferers

  • Contamination
  • Fear of losing control
  • Perfectionism
  • Religion