PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:The study of mental illness,mental illness and
abnormal maladaptive behaviour
MALADAPTIVE:Not adjusting adequate or appropriately to the
environment or situation.
DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY:
STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY:Defining abnormality in terms of numbers.
For example, if a person has an IQ of below 70 they are classed as
abnormal.
EVALUATION:
S=Real life application in the diagnosis of intellectual disability.
W=Usual characteristics can be positive(such as high IQ) can be
positive-not everyone unusual benefits from a negative label.
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS:Refers to deviant behaviour=any
behaviour that is considered to be anti social or undesirable to the majority
of society members.
SOCIAL NORMS:A set of rules for behaviour based on a set of moral and
conventional standards within society.They are judged by the dominant
culture.
EVALUATION:
S=Real life applications.
L=In practice, deviation from social norms is never the sole reason for
defining abnormality.
Social Norms are culturally relative and are not always valid to other
cultures.
This definition can lead to human rights violations.
FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:Can be defined as occurring
when someone is unable to cope with the ordinary demands of their day to
day life. Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) proposed some signs,including
● When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal
rules(like maintaining eye contact etc)
, ● When a person experiences severe personal distress
● When a person's behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to
themselves or others.
EVALUATION=
S=Does include the subjective experiences of the individual and
acknowledges this is important.
L=Depends of subjective judgements on who can and cannot function.
It is hard to say when someone is really failing to function and when they
are just deviating from social norms. For example, people with alternative
lifestyles may be deemed as not functioning adequately when in fact they
choose these behaviours. If we treat these as failures of adequate
functioning, we risk limiting personal freedom and discriminating against
minority groups.
DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:Occurs when someone
does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health. Marie Jahoda(1958)
suggested we have good mental health if we meet the following criteria:
● Have no symptoms of distress
● We are rational and can perceive others rationally
● We can cope with stress
● We can self actualise(realise potential)
● We have good self esteem
● We are independent
● We can successfully work,love and enjoy leisure.
Naturally, there is overlap between deviation from ideal mental health and
failure to function adequately.
EVALUATION:
S=It is a comprehensive definition
W=Jahoda’s criteria can be seen as culture bound and specific to Western
Cultures.
Sets unrealistic standards for mental health- likely everyone will deviate.
3 Characteristics of Depression:
DEPRESSION:A mental disorder characterised by low mood or low energy
levels
, All forms of depression are characterised by changes to mood. The
DSM(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) recognises 5 categories of
depression and depressive disorders:
1. Major depressive disorder
2. Persistent depressive disorder
3. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
4. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
BEHAVIOURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION:
Behaviour(the way in which people act)changes when we suffer a episode
of depression
● ACTIVITY LEVELS:Typical sufferers have reduced levels of
energy,making them lethargic. This then makes them tend to
withdraw from work,education and social life. Sometimes the
depression is so severe that the sufferer cannot get out of bed.
However, depression can also have the opposite effect which is
known as psychomotor agitation-individual struggles to relax.
● DISRUPTION TO SLEEP AND EATING BEHAVIOUR:i Similarly,
appetite may increase or decrease:the key point is that behaviour is
disrupted.
● AGGRESSION AND SELF HARM:Sufferers are often irritable and
can become physically or verbally abusive. This aggression can be
directed at others or at oneself in the form of self harm or suicide
attempts.
EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION:
Emotions:The way in which we feel.
● LOWERED MOOD:When describing feeling ‘depressed’ in life we
often refer to having a lowered mood or feeling sad. There is more to
clinical depression than this but a lowered mood is still a defining
emotional element to depression. It is often more pronounced than
the daily experiences of feeling lethargic and sad-patients often
describe themselves to be worthless or empty
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:The study of mental illness,mental illness and
abnormal maladaptive behaviour
MALADAPTIVE:Not adjusting adequate or appropriately to the
environment or situation.
DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY:
STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY:Defining abnormality in terms of numbers.
For example, if a person has an IQ of below 70 they are classed as
abnormal.
EVALUATION:
S=Real life application in the diagnosis of intellectual disability.
W=Usual characteristics can be positive(such as high IQ) can be
positive-not everyone unusual benefits from a negative label.
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS:Refers to deviant behaviour=any
behaviour that is considered to be anti social or undesirable to the majority
of society members.
SOCIAL NORMS:A set of rules for behaviour based on a set of moral and
conventional standards within society.They are judged by the dominant
culture.
EVALUATION:
S=Real life applications.
L=In practice, deviation from social norms is never the sole reason for
defining abnormality.
Social Norms are culturally relative and are not always valid to other
cultures.
This definition can lead to human rights violations.
FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:Can be defined as occurring
when someone is unable to cope with the ordinary demands of their day to
day life. Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) proposed some signs,including
● When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal
rules(like maintaining eye contact etc)
, ● When a person experiences severe personal distress
● When a person's behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to
themselves or others.
EVALUATION=
S=Does include the subjective experiences of the individual and
acknowledges this is important.
L=Depends of subjective judgements on who can and cannot function.
It is hard to say when someone is really failing to function and when they
are just deviating from social norms. For example, people with alternative
lifestyles may be deemed as not functioning adequately when in fact they
choose these behaviours. If we treat these as failures of adequate
functioning, we risk limiting personal freedom and discriminating against
minority groups.
DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:Occurs when someone
does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health. Marie Jahoda(1958)
suggested we have good mental health if we meet the following criteria:
● Have no symptoms of distress
● We are rational and can perceive others rationally
● We can cope with stress
● We can self actualise(realise potential)
● We have good self esteem
● We are independent
● We can successfully work,love and enjoy leisure.
Naturally, there is overlap between deviation from ideal mental health and
failure to function adequately.
EVALUATION:
S=It is a comprehensive definition
W=Jahoda’s criteria can be seen as culture bound and specific to Western
Cultures.
Sets unrealistic standards for mental health- likely everyone will deviate.
3 Characteristics of Depression:
DEPRESSION:A mental disorder characterised by low mood or low energy
levels
, All forms of depression are characterised by changes to mood. The
DSM(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) recognises 5 categories of
depression and depressive disorders:
1. Major depressive disorder
2. Persistent depressive disorder
3. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
4. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
BEHAVIOURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION:
Behaviour(the way in which people act)changes when we suffer a episode
of depression
● ACTIVITY LEVELS:Typical sufferers have reduced levels of
energy,making them lethargic. This then makes them tend to
withdraw from work,education and social life. Sometimes the
depression is so severe that the sufferer cannot get out of bed.
However, depression can also have the opposite effect which is
known as psychomotor agitation-individual struggles to relax.
● DISRUPTION TO SLEEP AND EATING BEHAVIOUR:i Similarly,
appetite may increase or decrease:the key point is that behaviour is
disrupted.
● AGGRESSION AND SELF HARM:Sufferers are often irritable and
can become physically or verbally abusive. This aggression can be
directed at others or at oneself in the form of self harm or suicide
attempts.
EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION:
Emotions:The way in which we feel.
● LOWERED MOOD:When describing feeling ‘depressed’ in life we
often refer to having a lowered mood or feeling sad. There is more to
clinical depression than this but a lowered mood is still a defining
emotional element to depression. It is often more pronounced than
the daily experiences of feeling lethargic and sad-patients often
describe themselves to be worthless or empty
