DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY
Statistical infrequency Failure to function adequately
When an individual has an uncommon characteristic than the population. They Abnormality that prevents the person from carrying out the range of
are measured against a normal distribution. The majority of people’s scores will behaviors that society would expect such as getting out of bed everyday,
cluster around an average, and the further above or below that average, the having a job and having successful relationships. There are 7 criteria e.g.
fewer people will get that score. People with top IQ scores are also considered personal distress (anxiety or depression), unpredictability, irrationality etc.
abnormal. To assess how well individuals cope with everyday life, clinicians use the
Example: IQ Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) – rates their level of social,
Average IQ is 100, 2% of the population have a score below 70 and are occupational, and psychological functioning
considered abnormal as they are diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder. • Subjective judgement – someone has to judge whether a patient is
• Real-life application in the diagnosis of intellectual disability disorders distressed or distressing
• Unusual characteristics i.e. people with a top IQ of over 130 are considered • Cultural limitations – some cultures may see one thing as functioning
abnormal however this high level of IQ is actually postivie adequately and may be seen as inadequate – for example, eating without
• Not everyone unusual benefits from a label – an individual with a very low cutlery is seen as functioning adequately in some African cultures
IQ may be able to live their life undistressed and capable of working. An • Context dependent – not eating may be seen as failing to function
abnormal diagnosis is not necessary and may have psychological impacts. adequately, but prisoners on hunger strikes making a protest is not
Deviation from social norms Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
A person is classified as abnormal if it violates the unwritten rules about norms Jahoda created criteria that we must meet to have good mental health. For
in a society. These norms are a collective judgment as a society about what is example; no symptoms of distress, can cope with stress, we are rational and
right. perceive ourselves accurately, we can successfully work, love and enjoy leisure.
• Real-life application in the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder • Comprehensive – covers a wide range of criteria for mental health
• Cultural variations: For example, in southern Europe, it is common to stand • Cultural limitations – individualist cultures see independence from other
much closer to strangers than in the UK. people as a good thing as it focuses on the individual and not the family
• Time variations – it used to be normal to consider drink driving as • Sets an unrealistically high standard for mental health – no one fits every
acceptable however it is now seen as unacceptable, similar to accepting single criteria of Jahoda’s, which would make everyone abnormal.
homosexuality nowadays however this used to be frowned upon.
, Phobias are a type of anxiety Depression is a mood disorder that OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized
disorder. They are characterized had effect on everyday functioning. by intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts
by a persistent fear that is (obsessions) couples with a need to
excessive or unreasonable, cued Behavioral perform specific acts repeatedly
by the presence of a specific • Loss of appetite (compulsions)
object or situation e.g. heights, • Neglect of personal appearance
spiders. Symptoms: • Insomnia Behavioral
• Tiredness • Compulsions are repetitive response
Behavioral • Withdrawal from others (social) intended to neutralize obsessions
• Phobic stimulus avoided • E.g. obsessing cleaning, washing,
• Show signs of great anxiety Emotional counting etc.
• Intense sadness
Emotional • Irritability Emotional
• Rapid anxiety response • Apathy (loss of interest or • Anxiety
enjoyment) • Worry
Cognitive • Feeling worthless • Distress
• Person recognizes that the • Anger
fear is excessive or Cognitive
unreasonable Cognitive • Obsessions are persistent and recurrent
• Negative thoughts thoughts, imahes or beliefs
• Poor concentration • The individual recognizes that the
• Low self esteem obsessions and compulsions are
• Low confidence excessive or unreasonable
Statistical infrequency Failure to function adequately
When an individual has an uncommon characteristic than the population. They Abnormality that prevents the person from carrying out the range of
are measured against a normal distribution. The majority of people’s scores will behaviors that society would expect such as getting out of bed everyday,
cluster around an average, and the further above or below that average, the having a job and having successful relationships. There are 7 criteria e.g.
fewer people will get that score. People with top IQ scores are also considered personal distress (anxiety or depression), unpredictability, irrationality etc.
abnormal. To assess how well individuals cope with everyday life, clinicians use the
Example: IQ Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) – rates their level of social,
Average IQ is 100, 2% of the population have a score below 70 and are occupational, and psychological functioning
considered abnormal as they are diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder. • Subjective judgement – someone has to judge whether a patient is
• Real-life application in the diagnosis of intellectual disability disorders distressed or distressing
• Unusual characteristics i.e. people with a top IQ of over 130 are considered • Cultural limitations – some cultures may see one thing as functioning
abnormal however this high level of IQ is actually postivie adequately and may be seen as inadequate – for example, eating without
• Not everyone unusual benefits from a label – an individual with a very low cutlery is seen as functioning adequately in some African cultures
IQ may be able to live their life undistressed and capable of working. An • Context dependent – not eating may be seen as failing to function
abnormal diagnosis is not necessary and may have psychological impacts. adequately, but prisoners on hunger strikes making a protest is not
Deviation from social norms Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
A person is classified as abnormal if it violates the unwritten rules about norms Jahoda created criteria that we must meet to have good mental health. For
in a society. These norms are a collective judgment as a society about what is example; no symptoms of distress, can cope with stress, we are rational and
right. perceive ourselves accurately, we can successfully work, love and enjoy leisure.
• Real-life application in the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder • Comprehensive – covers a wide range of criteria for mental health
• Cultural variations: For example, in southern Europe, it is common to stand • Cultural limitations – individualist cultures see independence from other
much closer to strangers than in the UK. people as a good thing as it focuses on the individual and not the family
• Time variations – it used to be normal to consider drink driving as • Sets an unrealistically high standard for mental health – no one fits every
acceptable however it is now seen as unacceptable, similar to accepting single criteria of Jahoda’s, which would make everyone abnormal.
homosexuality nowadays however this used to be frowned upon.
, Phobias are a type of anxiety Depression is a mood disorder that OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized
disorder. They are characterized had effect on everyday functioning. by intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts
by a persistent fear that is (obsessions) couples with a need to
excessive or unreasonable, cued Behavioral perform specific acts repeatedly
by the presence of a specific • Loss of appetite (compulsions)
object or situation e.g. heights, • Neglect of personal appearance
spiders. Symptoms: • Insomnia Behavioral
• Tiredness • Compulsions are repetitive response
Behavioral • Withdrawal from others (social) intended to neutralize obsessions
• Phobic stimulus avoided • E.g. obsessing cleaning, washing,
• Show signs of great anxiety Emotional counting etc.
• Intense sadness
Emotional • Irritability Emotional
• Rapid anxiety response • Apathy (loss of interest or • Anxiety
enjoyment) • Worry
Cognitive • Feeling worthless • Distress
• Person recognizes that the • Anger
fear is excessive or Cognitive
unreasonable Cognitive • Obsessions are persistent and recurrent
• Negative thoughts thoughts, imahes or beliefs
• Poor concentration • The individual recognizes that the
• Low self esteem obsessions and compulsions are
• Low confidence excessive or unreasonable
