Psychological Disorders
Psychopathology: 'illness of mind':
• Scientific study of the origins, symptoms, and development of psychological
disorders
A pattern of behavioural and psychological symptoms that causes significant
personal distress, impairs the ability to function in one or more important areas of
daily life, or both.
(Aetiology, course, epidemiology, treatment)
Why define Psychological Disorders?
Nomenclature
• A naming system, we know what to call disorders and their symptoms
Consensus
• People in different places can agree on a person's diagnosis
Communication
• Allows mental health professionals to accurately communicate about patients and
disorders
Organisation
• Allows mental health professionals to organise information about the disorders so
that it is accessible
Research
• Informs mental health professionals about how to advance research
Treatment
• Knowing what something is provides information about how to treat it
Do you think any of these behaviours are abnormal?
• Having a "lucky" seat in an exam?
• Being unable to eat, sleep, or study for days after the breakup of a relationship?
• Breaking into a cold sweat at the thought of being trapped in an elevator?
• Refusing to eat solid food for dogs in order to stay slim?
• Washing your hands thoroughly after riding a bus?
• Believing government agents monitor your phone calls?
, What is abnormal behaviour?
There is no universally agreed definition of abnormal behaviour
• Lots of grey areas, not black and white
• … Abnormal Behaviour is behaviour that impacts on functioning, activities of daily
living, well-being and life satisfaction
1s mental illness a myth?
Some maintain that abnormality is a social construct
• Szasz (1974) argued that unless is something that affects only the body and that
there is no such thing as mental illness
• Dammann (1997) disagree and argue that you cannot draw a sharp distinction
between physical illness and mental illness
Abnormal behaviour is a deviation from normal behaviour...but... How do we
determine the distinction between abnormal and normal?
What is normal?
• Defining abnormality
• Statistical explanations
• Rosenhan and Seligman's 7 features
• Comer and The 4D's
Defining Abnormality: HIDES
Help-Seeking
• Oberoi et al., 2016
• The Theory of Reason Action, Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975
Irrationality/dangerousness
• Skeem et al., 2002
Deviance
• Rashed and Bingham, 2014
Emotional distress
• Pfefferbaum and North, 2020
Significant impairment
• McKnight and Kashdan, 2009
Psychopathology: 'illness of mind':
• Scientific study of the origins, symptoms, and development of psychological
disorders
A pattern of behavioural and psychological symptoms that causes significant
personal distress, impairs the ability to function in one or more important areas of
daily life, or both.
(Aetiology, course, epidemiology, treatment)
Why define Psychological Disorders?
Nomenclature
• A naming system, we know what to call disorders and their symptoms
Consensus
• People in different places can agree on a person's diagnosis
Communication
• Allows mental health professionals to accurately communicate about patients and
disorders
Organisation
• Allows mental health professionals to organise information about the disorders so
that it is accessible
Research
• Informs mental health professionals about how to advance research
Treatment
• Knowing what something is provides information about how to treat it
Do you think any of these behaviours are abnormal?
• Having a "lucky" seat in an exam?
• Being unable to eat, sleep, or study for days after the breakup of a relationship?
• Breaking into a cold sweat at the thought of being trapped in an elevator?
• Refusing to eat solid food for dogs in order to stay slim?
• Washing your hands thoroughly after riding a bus?
• Believing government agents monitor your phone calls?
, What is abnormal behaviour?
There is no universally agreed definition of abnormal behaviour
• Lots of grey areas, not black and white
• … Abnormal Behaviour is behaviour that impacts on functioning, activities of daily
living, well-being and life satisfaction
1s mental illness a myth?
Some maintain that abnormality is a social construct
• Szasz (1974) argued that unless is something that affects only the body and that
there is no such thing as mental illness
• Dammann (1997) disagree and argue that you cannot draw a sharp distinction
between physical illness and mental illness
Abnormal behaviour is a deviation from normal behaviour...but... How do we
determine the distinction between abnormal and normal?
What is normal?
• Defining abnormality
• Statistical explanations
• Rosenhan and Seligman's 7 features
• Comer and The 4D's
Defining Abnormality: HIDES
Help-Seeking
• Oberoi et al., 2016
• The Theory of Reason Action, Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975
Irrationality/dangerousness
• Skeem et al., 2002
Deviance
• Rashed and Bingham, 2014
Emotional distress
• Pfefferbaum and North, 2020
Significant impairment
• McKnight and Kashdan, 2009
