Definitions of abnormality
Deviation from social norms
Statistical infrequency
Concerns behaviour that differs from accepted standards of soc
When an individual has less common characteristics than the general population.
generations and cultures. E.g. homosexuality considered wrong
Many characteristics can be measured by statistics and normal distribution show
generations and conservative cultures. A person with anti-socia
majority of participants in the middle with few at either end. For example, IQ has
disorder has absence of social standards, associated with failur
an average of 100, 68% achieve between 70 and 115. Only 2% have a score below
laws and culturally normative ethical behaviour.
70 and are considered abnormal and can have an intellectual disability disorder.
- Real-world. Can play a role in diagnosis of mental disorders
- Useful as part of formal diagnosis and a way to assess the severity of
schizophrenia can be described as strange thinking. Value o
symptoms. Requires an IQ of under 70 for a diagnosis of intellectual disability.
psychiatry.
The Beck Depression Inventory also claims that if someone has a score of 30+ - Social norms vary hugely between cultures. A person from
it could relate to severe depression. This makes statistics valuable.
- Infrequent characteristics not all negative. For every person with an IQ below may label another group as abnormal.
- Human rights issues regarding treatment of social groups w
70 someone will have IQ above 130. Someone with high IQ would not be seen
to societal norms. Homosexuality seen as mental disorder u
as abnormal. Cannot be the only factor defining abnormality.
was removed from DSM-2.
Failure to function adequately
When a person can no longer cope with demands of everyday life. Inability to Deviation from ideal mental health
maintain basic standards of nutrition, hygiene and inability to maintain jobs, Jahoda suggested criterion of good mental health. No symptom
relationships. Rosenhan + Seligman additional signs to determine not coping. rational perception of ourselves, ability to self-actualize, cope w
Inability to conform to standard interpersonal rules, severe personal distress, world view, good self-esteem, independence and successful wo
irrational/dangerous behaviour. As well as low IQ an individual must also be leisure. Overlap between deviation from ideal mental health an
failing to function adequately before diagnosis.
- Comprehensive. Range of factors that might influence our d
- Easy to label non-standard living choices as abnormal. Alternative lifestyles. professional help. Provides a checklist to assess ourselves a
- Represents threshold for when people need help. 25% people in UK with professional.
experience mental health problems within a year. However, many press on in - Cultural limitation. Most criteria is in context of US and Eur
the face of severe symptoms. Criterion means treatment is given to those concepts of self-actualization and independence, definition
most in need. - Very few of us attain all criteria and none of us achieve them
- At some point all of us may fail to cope due to circumstance. However, the time. However, comprehensive list is practical in understan
failure to cope is no less real because there is a clear cause. mental health.
Deviation from social norms
Statistical infrequency
Concerns behaviour that differs from accepted standards of soc
When an individual has less common characteristics than the general population.
generations and cultures. E.g. homosexuality considered wrong
Many characteristics can be measured by statistics and normal distribution show
generations and conservative cultures. A person with anti-socia
majority of participants in the middle with few at either end. For example, IQ has
disorder has absence of social standards, associated with failur
an average of 100, 68% achieve between 70 and 115. Only 2% have a score below
laws and culturally normative ethical behaviour.
70 and are considered abnormal and can have an intellectual disability disorder.
- Real-world. Can play a role in diagnosis of mental disorders
- Useful as part of formal diagnosis and a way to assess the severity of
schizophrenia can be described as strange thinking. Value o
symptoms. Requires an IQ of under 70 for a diagnosis of intellectual disability.
psychiatry.
The Beck Depression Inventory also claims that if someone has a score of 30+ - Social norms vary hugely between cultures. A person from
it could relate to severe depression. This makes statistics valuable.
- Infrequent characteristics not all negative. For every person with an IQ below may label another group as abnormal.
- Human rights issues regarding treatment of social groups w
70 someone will have IQ above 130. Someone with high IQ would not be seen
to societal norms. Homosexuality seen as mental disorder u
as abnormal. Cannot be the only factor defining abnormality.
was removed from DSM-2.
Failure to function adequately
When a person can no longer cope with demands of everyday life. Inability to Deviation from ideal mental health
maintain basic standards of nutrition, hygiene and inability to maintain jobs, Jahoda suggested criterion of good mental health. No symptom
relationships. Rosenhan + Seligman additional signs to determine not coping. rational perception of ourselves, ability to self-actualize, cope w
Inability to conform to standard interpersonal rules, severe personal distress, world view, good self-esteem, independence and successful wo
irrational/dangerous behaviour. As well as low IQ an individual must also be leisure. Overlap between deviation from ideal mental health an
failing to function adequately before diagnosis.
- Comprehensive. Range of factors that might influence our d
- Easy to label non-standard living choices as abnormal. Alternative lifestyles. professional help. Provides a checklist to assess ourselves a
- Represents threshold for when people need help. 25% people in UK with professional.
experience mental health problems within a year. However, many press on in - Cultural limitation. Most criteria is in context of US and Eur
the face of severe symptoms. Criterion means treatment is given to those concepts of self-actualization and independence, definition
most in need. - Very few of us attain all criteria and none of us achieve them
- At some point all of us may fail to cope due to circumstance. However, the time. However, comprehensive list is practical in understan
failure to cope is no less real because there is a clear cause. mental health.
