voices in his head. The voices come often, are
usually threatening and make Rob feel frightened.
The voices are making it difficult for Rob to complete
his homework properly and he is worried about his
chances of going to university if he continues. He
has not told anyone about his experiences, but his
parents and teachers have noticed that he appears
distracted, anxious, and untidy.
Outline and evaluate failure to function
adequately and deviation from ideal
mental health. Refer to Rob’s
experiences in your answer. [16 marks]
There are four ways which are used in
attempt to distinguish the difference
between ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ behaviour in
relation to the classification of individuals
suffering from mental disorders. One of the
definitions of abnormality is known as failure
to function adequately. This definition
covers a range of irrational or maladaptive
behaviours which might interfere with their
lives meaning that an individual is
considered abnormal if they are unable to
cope with the demands of everyday life (e.g.
getting out of bed in the morning, going to
work, etc.) and live independently in society,
as well as being unable to maintain the
standard levels of nutrition and hygiene,
and sustaining a continuous job or
relationship alongside. Continuously, the