Lecture 1 intro (1-4)
The multidimensional approach :
Psychopathology : the study of psychological disorders
● To figure out the cause you must look at aetiology to
determine the factors which cause a psychological
disorder
● It is a multidimensional approach meaning there are many
causes which all interact together
Biological : dimensions include causal factors from the fields of
genetics and epigenetics and their impacts on neurobiology
Social : influences include group values, norms and practice
Psychological : dimensions include causal factors from
behavioural and cognitive processes including social and
prepared learning and unconscious process
Defining abnormality :
Working definition : a fluid concept we are able to expand
➔Psychological disorders –at least two of the criteria below
◆ Unusualness
◆ Deviance from the social norm
◆ Significant distress
, ◆ Maladaptive : not adaptive for a person in their
context
◆ Danger to self or others
➔Symptoms of distress are “normal” under certain
circumstances
➔Important to consider sociocultural factors
- You need to look at the persons symptoms in relation
to their context
Social anxiety disorder :
Maladaptive , Distress , Unusualness : whole thing
● Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations
in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by
others
● The person fears negative evaluation
● The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety
● The social situations are avoided or endured with intense
fear or anxiety
● The fear/anxiety/avoidance is persistent (> 6 months)
● Causes clinically significant distress or impairs functioning
DSM-5 definition of a mental disorder :
A mental disorder is:
● A clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion
regulation or behaviour
- Determined by the clinician
● Reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological or
developmental processes underlying mental functioning
● Usually associated with significant distress or disability
,A mental disorder is not:
● An expectable or culturally approved response to a
common stressor or loss
● Socially deviant behaviour between an individual and
society
Cultural sensitivity in clinical practice :
● The notion of “clinically significant” refers to the extent to
which each individual clinician needs to use their
knowledge, skills and experience to determine what is a
disturbance or dysfunction
- Its subjective as an individual clinician determines
that it is significant
- This means each practitioner needs to take into
account their own biases
● The important way we can enrich cultural understandings
is for there to be more local research as it is currently
sparse
● Cross cultural knowledge is required
● NB is training psychologists from different cultural
backgrounds
The History of Psychopathology :
● History is useful in understanding the Aetiology of
Psychopathology
● Aetiology has to do with WHY a disorder begins or what
causes it
● Our attempts to understand abnormal behaviour has
always been derived from popular belief systems at the
time
, 3 models :
1. The Supernatural
2. The Biological
3. The Psychological
1. The supernatural :
- Persian Empire 900 - 600 BCE all physical and mental
disorders considered the work of
the devil.
- 14th century society as a whole
believed religious authorities that
made sense of psychological
disturbance as evidence of the
existence of demons and witches.
- Treatments included exorcism
- Witches were also seen as having the ability to “possess”
powers much like the devil.
- Women predominantly accused of witchcraft.
- Modern Feminist Critique: Witch hunts a way to control
women who did not conform
- The term lunatic stems from the latin word luna (moon)
because it was believed that mental disorders were caused
by the gravitational effects of the moon on bodily fluids.
- Astrology continues to be popular with millions around the
world without scientific basis
In modern SA context
- The causes of illness in South Africa cultures are often
perceived to be connected to witchcraft.
- 80% of the population depend on traditional healers who
refer to illness being caused by various factors including
The multidimensional approach :
Psychopathology : the study of psychological disorders
● To figure out the cause you must look at aetiology to
determine the factors which cause a psychological
disorder
● It is a multidimensional approach meaning there are many
causes which all interact together
Biological : dimensions include causal factors from the fields of
genetics and epigenetics and their impacts on neurobiology
Social : influences include group values, norms and practice
Psychological : dimensions include causal factors from
behavioural and cognitive processes including social and
prepared learning and unconscious process
Defining abnormality :
Working definition : a fluid concept we are able to expand
➔Psychological disorders –at least two of the criteria below
◆ Unusualness
◆ Deviance from the social norm
◆ Significant distress
, ◆ Maladaptive : not adaptive for a person in their
context
◆ Danger to self or others
➔Symptoms of distress are “normal” under certain
circumstances
➔Important to consider sociocultural factors
- You need to look at the persons symptoms in relation
to their context
Social anxiety disorder :
Maladaptive , Distress , Unusualness : whole thing
● Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations
in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by
others
● The person fears negative evaluation
● The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety
● The social situations are avoided or endured with intense
fear or anxiety
● The fear/anxiety/avoidance is persistent (> 6 months)
● Causes clinically significant distress or impairs functioning
DSM-5 definition of a mental disorder :
A mental disorder is:
● A clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion
regulation or behaviour
- Determined by the clinician
● Reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological or
developmental processes underlying mental functioning
● Usually associated with significant distress or disability
,A mental disorder is not:
● An expectable or culturally approved response to a
common stressor or loss
● Socially deviant behaviour between an individual and
society
Cultural sensitivity in clinical practice :
● The notion of “clinically significant” refers to the extent to
which each individual clinician needs to use their
knowledge, skills and experience to determine what is a
disturbance or dysfunction
- Its subjective as an individual clinician determines
that it is significant
- This means each practitioner needs to take into
account their own biases
● The important way we can enrich cultural understandings
is for there to be more local research as it is currently
sparse
● Cross cultural knowledge is required
● NB is training psychologists from different cultural
backgrounds
The History of Psychopathology :
● History is useful in understanding the Aetiology of
Psychopathology
● Aetiology has to do with WHY a disorder begins or what
causes it
● Our attempts to understand abnormal behaviour has
always been derived from popular belief systems at the
time
, 3 models :
1. The Supernatural
2. The Biological
3. The Psychological
1. The supernatural :
- Persian Empire 900 - 600 BCE all physical and mental
disorders considered the work of
the devil.
- 14th century society as a whole
believed religious authorities that
made sense of psychological
disturbance as evidence of the
existence of demons and witches.
- Treatments included exorcism
- Witches were also seen as having the ability to “possess”
powers much like the devil.
- Women predominantly accused of witchcraft.
- Modern Feminist Critique: Witch hunts a way to control
women who did not conform
- The term lunatic stems from the latin word luna (moon)
because it was believed that mental disorders were caused
by the gravitational effects of the moon on bodily fluids.
- Astrology continues to be popular with millions around the
world without scientific basis
In modern SA context
- The causes of illness in South Africa cultures are often
perceived to be connected to witchcraft.
- 80% of the population depend on traditional healers who
refer to illness being caused by various factors including
