All Rights Reserved.
Some of this work has been summarised from the prescribed readings for
PSY2014S Abnormal Psychology.
This work includes notes taken based on lecture slides from relevant topic
lecturers, all of whom are named in the appropriate section. These notes are
elaborations based on the authors’ own understanding.
This document, including all content and materials contained within, is the
intellectual property of Arièlle Denis, with thanks to Kayla Paul for her
contributions on the reading notes.
No part of these notes may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or
mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other
non-commercial uses permitted by the copyright law.
For permission requests, please contact the author at
© 2026 Arièlle Denis,
University of Cape Town. All rights reserved.
, Abnormal PSYCHOLOGY
PSY2014S | Semester 2, Term 1
NOTE: Reading notes are highlighted in yellow and blue, while lecture notes are
highlighted in green and pink.
Introduction to Theories of Psychopathology | Abnormal behaviour in historical
context (Barlow et al., 2017:19-33) AND An Integrative approach to
psychopathology (Barlow et al., 2017)
by Carly Abramovitz
→ Psychological disorder (Abnormal behaviour): Psychological dysfunction associated with
distress or impairment in functioning that isn’t a typical or culturally expected response, and is
therefore atypical.
3 Criteria for Psychological Disorder Definition:
1) Psychological dysfunction – characterised by a breakdown in cognitive, emotional or
behavioural functioning
a) Many people experience mild versions without being perceived to meet the
criteria for a specific disorder
b) Differentiating normal functioning and abnormal dysfunction is often difficult –
these problems are on a continuum or dimension rather than being present or
absent categories
c) Dysfunction should be considered depending on the match of a “typical” disorder
profile → Prototype (meaning the patient may have only some symptoms of the
disorder, a minimum, and still meet criteria for the disorder)
2) Distress or impairment – often culture-bound to be classified as abnormal, as it is normal
to be distressed, and impairment is also culturally defined
a) Most psychological disorders are extreme expressions of otherwise normal
emotions, behaviours and cognitive processes, and are guided by worldviews
3) Atypical response – occurs infrequently and deviates from the average
a) Many people deviate from the average but are not considered disordered, rather
talented or eccentric
b) Cannot be used in isolation to classify a disorder – may be abnormal if it violates
social norms
c) It is difficult to define abnormality; unexpected in cultural context and associated
with present distress and functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, pain or
impairment
,→ Phobia: Psychological disorder characterised by marked and persistent fear of an object or
situation.
The multidimensional approach to understanding psychopathology causes (AETIOLOGY)
● Biological – incl. causal factors from fields of genetics, epigenetics, impacts on
neurobiology
● Psychological – incl. causal factors from behavioural/cognitive processes, e.g. social and
prepared learning, unconscious process
● Social – incl. group values, norms, practices
○ All mutually influential and not separate, complex interrelationships
→ Psychopathology: The scientific study of psychological disorders.
Aetiology (study of causes) is central to understanding any disorder – emerged from Western
context and may not be holistically applicable.
What is a psychological disorder?
3 Main Defining Characteristics:
1. Psychological dysfunction – breakdown in functioning (cognitive, emotional,
behavioural)
a. Functions operate on a continuum, and miss a clear line b/w normal and
abnormal, e.g. experiencing fear without presence of danger
2. Personal distress – upset or impaired by condition
a. Excessive distress is unnatural, but some disorders lack it (e.g. manic episodes).
Ultimately limit useful daily function
3. Atypical response/deviance – not culturally expected or socially “normal”
a. Deviating from avg pop, violating unwritten social norms and rules ∴ must
consider culture before judging “abnormal”
Global VS Local Perspectives
● Western dominance: Historical psychopathology dev heavily dominated by American and
European scientific ideologies
● SA landscape: Mainstream psych highly similar to international frameworks despite
Western bias
○ Practice can fall short or be unadapted, and therefore not help individuals of diff.
cultures or societies
DSM-V Definition of Mental Disorder
● Significant disturbance – Clear breakdown
● Underlying dysfunction – Reflects failure in processes
, ● Functional impact – Significant personal distress OR social/occupational disability (e.g.
not attending lectures, not going out to see friends)
● Clinical significance – Symptoms need to cross threshold of severity, causes meaningful
impairment (not transient, everyday difficulties)
NOT:
● Normal reactions to common stressors/loss
○ Must not overmedicalise/overpsychopathologise, risk power imbalance when able
to tell someone they are “abnormal”
● Pure social deviance – nonconformity, e.g. political/religious/sexual conflicts b/w
individual and society
Cultural sensitivity in clinical practice
● “Clinically significant” – extent to which each individual clinician needs to use
knowledge, skills, experience to determine disturbance/dysfunction
● Subjectivity, requires taking into account own biases
● Cultural understandings enriched with LOCAL RESEARCH as currently sparse
● Cross cultural knowledge REQUIRED, esp. training psychologists from different cultural
backgrounds
The Science of Psychopathology
→ Psychopathology: The scientific study of psychological disorders
● A master’s degree is the exit level for professional psychologists in SA. It prepares them
to conduct research into the causes & treatment of psychological disorders and to
diagnose, assess and treat these disorders
● Counselling psychologists tend to study & treat adjustment & vocational issues
encountered by relatively healthy individuals
● Clinical psychologists usually concentrate on more severe psychological disorders
● Psychiatrists first have to earn a medical degree & then specialise in psychiatry during
registrar training that lasts 4 years
● They also investigate the nature & causes of psychological disorders, often from a
biological perspective, & they make diagnoses & offer treatments (often with an
emphasis on medication or other biological treatments, although most use psychosocial
treatments as well)
● Many mental health professionals take a scientific approach to their clinical work & are
called scientist-practitioners
● They may keep up with the latest scientific developments in their field & therefore use
the most current diagnostic & treatment procedures
All Rights Reserved.
Some of this work has been summarised from the prescribed readings for
PSY2014S Abnormal Psychology.
This work includes notes taken based on lecture slides from relevant topic
lecturers, all of whom are named in the appropriate section. These notes are
elaborations based on the authors’ own understanding.
This document, including all content and materials contained within, is the
intellectual property of Arièlle Denis, with thanks to Kayla Paul for her
contributions on the reading notes.
No part of these notes may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or
mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other
non-commercial uses permitted by the copyright law.
For permission requests, please contact the author at
© 2026 Arièlle Denis,
University of Cape Town. All rights reserved.
, Abnormal PSYCHOLOGY
PSY2014S | Semester 2, Term 1
NOTE: Reading notes are highlighted in yellow and blue, while lecture notes are
highlighted in green and pink.
Introduction to Theories of Psychopathology | Abnormal behaviour in historical
context (Barlow et al., 2017:19-33) AND An Integrative approach to
psychopathology (Barlow et al., 2017)
by Carly Abramovitz
→ Psychological disorder (Abnormal behaviour): Psychological dysfunction associated with
distress or impairment in functioning that isn’t a typical or culturally expected response, and is
therefore atypical.
3 Criteria for Psychological Disorder Definition:
1) Psychological dysfunction – characterised by a breakdown in cognitive, emotional or
behavioural functioning
a) Many people experience mild versions without being perceived to meet the
criteria for a specific disorder
b) Differentiating normal functioning and abnormal dysfunction is often difficult –
these problems are on a continuum or dimension rather than being present or
absent categories
c) Dysfunction should be considered depending on the match of a “typical” disorder
profile → Prototype (meaning the patient may have only some symptoms of the
disorder, a minimum, and still meet criteria for the disorder)
2) Distress or impairment – often culture-bound to be classified as abnormal, as it is normal
to be distressed, and impairment is also culturally defined
a) Most psychological disorders are extreme expressions of otherwise normal
emotions, behaviours and cognitive processes, and are guided by worldviews
3) Atypical response – occurs infrequently and deviates from the average
a) Many people deviate from the average but are not considered disordered, rather
talented or eccentric
b) Cannot be used in isolation to classify a disorder – may be abnormal if it violates
social norms
c) It is difficult to define abnormality; unexpected in cultural context and associated
with present distress and functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, pain or
impairment
,→ Phobia: Psychological disorder characterised by marked and persistent fear of an object or
situation.
The multidimensional approach to understanding psychopathology causes (AETIOLOGY)
● Biological – incl. causal factors from fields of genetics, epigenetics, impacts on
neurobiology
● Psychological – incl. causal factors from behavioural/cognitive processes, e.g. social and
prepared learning, unconscious process
● Social – incl. group values, norms, practices
○ All mutually influential and not separate, complex interrelationships
→ Psychopathology: The scientific study of psychological disorders.
Aetiology (study of causes) is central to understanding any disorder – emerged from Western
context and may not be holistically applicable.
What is a psychological disorder?
3 Main Defining Characteristics:
1. Psychological dysfunction – breakdown in functioning (cognitive, emotional,
behavioural)
a. Functions operate on a continuum, and miss a clear line b/w normal and
abnormal, e.g. experiencing fear without presence of danger
2. Personal distress – upset or impaired by condition
a. Excessive distress is unnatural, but some disorders lack it (e.g. manic episodes).
Ultimately limit useful daily function
3. Atypical response/deviance – not culturally expected or socially “normal”
a. Deviating from avg pop, violating unwritten social norms and rules ∴ must
consider culture before judging “abnormal”
Global VS Local Perspectives
● Western dominance: Historical psychopathology dev heavily dominated by American and
European scientific ideologies
● SA landscape: Mainstream psych highly similar to international frameworks despite
Western bias
○ Practice can fall short or be unadapted, and therefore not help individuals of diff.
cultures or societies
DSM-V Definition of Mental Disorder
● Significant disturbance – Clear breakdown
● Underlying dysfunction – Reflects failure in processes
, ● Functional impact – Significant personal distress OR social/occupational disability (e.g.
not attending lectures, not going out to see friends)
● Clinical significance – Symptoms need to cross threshold of severity, causes meaningful
impairment (not transient, everyday difficulties)
NOT:
● Normal reactions to common stressors/loss
○ Must not overmedicalise/overpsychopathologise, risk power imbalance when able
to tell someone they are “abnormal”
● Pure social deviance – nonconformity, e.g. political/religious/sexual conflicts b/w
individual and society
Cultural sensitivity in clinical practice
● “Clinically significant” – extent to which each individual clinician needs to use
knowledge, skills, experience to determine disturbance/dysfunction
● Subjectivity, requires taking into account own biases
● Cultural understandings enriched with LOCAL RESEARCH as currently sparse
● Cross cultural knowledge REQUIRED, esp. training psychologists from different cultural
backgrounds
The Science of Psychopathology
→ Psychopathology: The scientific study of psychological disorders
● A master’s degree is the exit level for professional psychologists in SA. It prepares them
to conduct research into the causes & treatment of psychological disorders and to
diagnose, assess and treat these disorders
● Counselling psychologists tend to study & treat adjustment & vocational issues
encountered by relatively healthy individuals
● Clinical psychologists usually concentrate on more severe psychological disorders
● Psychiatrists first have to earn a medical degree & then specialise in psychiatry during
registrar training that lasts 4 years
● They also investigate the nature & causes of psychological disorders, often from a
biological perspective, & they make diagnoses & offer treatments (often with an
emphasis on medication or other biological treatments, although most use psychosocial
treatments as well)
● Many mental health professionals take a scientific approach to their clinical work & are
called scientist-practitioners
● They may keep up with the latest scientific developments in their field & therefore use
the most current diagnostic & treatment procedures
