PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
, 1. Sta s cal infrequency - abnormality is de ned as those
behaviours that are extremely rare (E.G. behaviour that is found DESCRIBE AND EVALUATE
in very few people is regarded as abnormal):
- Falls outside the range which is typical for most people, it is DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY
abnormal if it sta s cally rare.
- Normal distribu on curve 95% of the popula on fall between 2 Assessment of mental disorders = (DSM) lacks reliability
(SD) – standard devia on (-2;+2)either side of the mean normal E = Rosenhan (1970) ‘On being sane in insane places’: ‘normal’ people pretended su ering from
- Scores outside this range are very unusual 5% of popula on = hallucina ons. They were diagnosed with schizophrenia and admi ed in US psychiatric hospitals
E = Once admi ed, they behaved ‘normally’. However, the sta failed to recognised they were ‘n
abnormal E = In a follow-up study, Rosenhan warned the hospitals of his inten on to send more pseudo-p
- Below 55 and above 145 1% of the popula on. This resulted in a 21% detec on rate although no pseudopa ents actually turned up!
L = This has serious implica ons. The misdiagnosis leads to sane people might be ins tu onalise
vice-versa.
Limita on = SI is culturally-bound.
E = According to WHO’s (2002) world map of neuropsychiatric condi ons, mental FFA lacks cultural rela vism (the idea t
disorders are more frequent in some countries (USA), than in others (Japan). Real-life applica ons in the diagnosis of human behaviour can only be made
E = However, that doesn’t mean this is actually the case = S gma if mental disorders of mental disorders culture) in its assessment of mental dis
are reported: “ the majority of the general public in Japan keep a greater social E = FFA can be very helpful in ge ng a E = classi ca on of mental disorders in
distance from individuals with mental illness, especially in close personal suitable diagnosis and therefore on white middle-class (o en male) cult
rela onships.” (Ando et al. 2013). treatment. E = According to DSM-V/ GAF scale/ WH
= Mental disorders not reported as readily as in the USA. E = DSM and ICD have improved on Thunderbirds = an irra onal behaviour
Social norms change over me
L = Therefore, once more, we must be cau ons when interpre ng sta s cal results their diagnosis à criteria have been •However, this diagnosis would not be
E = Un l 1960’s in UK homosexual acts were criminal o ences + un l 1973 in
across di erent cultures. re ned, even including an appendix American) à normal behaviour.
USA homosexuality was a mental disorder.
on culture-bound syndromes. L = Therefore can be argued FFA as a de
E = possible that some traits that considered as abnormal will be declassi ed
L = Many forms or therapies are unreliable as it will result in di erent di
Some characteris cs are desirable! in future in West (gender iden ty disorders). In the meanwhile, those
available to pa ents such as C = However: a empts by DSM + ICD to
E = If very few people display a behaviour, according to this individuals are labelled and possibly medicated/ undergoing therapy/
psychotherapies, drug therapies à syndromes, but cri cs argue it doesn’t
de ni on that makes the behaviour abnormal. However, it irreversible surgery because they are considered as abnormal.
help the pa ent manage their day-to-
doesn’t always mean that the person requires treatment. L =Therefore, DSN does not provide a sound basis for indica ng
day lives (e.g. returning to work).
E = E.g. IQ scores over 130 are just as unusal as those below 70, psychological abnormality and should take a cri cal stance on our present
(Treatments are more ethical today =
but not regarded as undesirable and requiring treatment. classi ca on of mental disorders. 3. Failure to func on adequately (FFA)
v.s. ‘gay cure’, trepana on,
L = Therefore, this is a serious limita on of the concept of SI and to live a normal life, unable to exper
lobotomies…):
means that it should never be used alone to make a diagnosis. emo ons, or engage in the normal r
• E.G. - cant hold a job/maintain rela on
DSN could lead to human rights abuse. Cultural rela vism
Real-life applica ons in the 2. Devia on from social norms - abnormal behaviour issues
E = too much reliance on DSN to E = What is normal in one culture might not be in
diagnosis of mental disorders is seen as a devia on from unstated rules about • Abnormal behaviour interferer with d
understand abnormality can lead to a another culture (as each culture de nes its own set of
E = SI is a useful and quick part how one ‘ought’ to behave. Anything that violates systema c abuse of human rights. social norms) = abnormality might thus be di cult to
of clinical assessment as it these rules is considered abnormal. ROSENHAN AND SELIGMAN (1989)
E = e.g. Drapetomania (black slaves de ne especially in mul -cultural society.
includes a comparison with the Signs of failure to cope:
trying to escape) + nymphomania E = Examples:
rest of the popula on. • Social norms are approved and expected ways of Personal distress - billy
(women a racted to working-class - African/Indian cultures consider it normal to talk to
E = E.g. Intellectual disability behaving in a society. Distress is main symptom of depression
men) are examples of how diagnosis the dead.
disorder (IDD) demonstrates • In terms of social norms, abnormal behaviour can be experience disturbed sleep, cons pa on
was used for social control a means to - Hearing voices is socially acceptable in some cultures
how sta s cal infrequency can seen as behaviour which deviates from or violates redness
control women, minority groups and but would be seen as a sign of abnormality
be used. social norms. Interpersonal rules not respected
poli cal/ religious dissidents. (schizophrenia) in the UK.
L = iden ca on of a mental • homosexuality used to be classi es as a mental Irra onal behaviour - schizophrenia, Mr.
L = such classi ca ons appear L = Classi ca on of mental disorders in the West is
disorder can lead to various disorder in the UK un l 1976. Unpredictable behaviour
ridiculous but some psychologists almost en rely based on white middle-class culture .This
interven ons, such as • e.g. an social personality disorder (APD) argue that some modern abnormal therefore can create problems for people from one
educa onal support etc. (the (psychopathy) WHODAS SCALE = The lower the score, t
classi ca ons are abuses of people’s culture living within another cultural group.
earlier, the be er). • someone who is aggressive, impulsive, irresponsible. is a persistent danger of hur ng self or o
rights to be di erent.
maintain minimal personal hygiene, or s
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, 1. Sta s cal infrequency - abnormality is de ned as those
behaviours that are extremely rare (E.G. behaviour that is found DESCRIBE AND EVALUATE
in very few people is regarded as abnormal):
- Falls outside the range which is typical for most people, it is DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY
abnormal if it sta s cally rare.
- Normal distribu on curve 95% of the popula on fall between 2 Assessment of mental disorders = (DSM) lacks reliability
(SD) – standard devia on (-2;+2)either side of the mean normal E = Rosenhan (1970) ‘On being sane in insane places’: ‘normal’ people pretended su ering from
- Scores outside this range are very unusual 5% of popula on = hallucina ons. They were diagnosed with schizophrenia and admi ed in US psychiatric hospitals
E = Once admi ed, they behaved ‘normally’. However, the sta failed to recognised they were ‘n
abnormal E = In a follow-up study, Rosenhan warned the hospitals of his inten on to send more pseudo-p
- Below 55 and above 145 1% of the popula on. This resulted in a 21% detec on rate although no pseudopa ents actually turned up!
L = This has serious implica ons. The misdiagnosis leads to sane people might be ins tu onalise
vice-versa.
Limita on = SI is culturally-bound.
E = According to WHO’s (2002) world map of neuropsychiatric condi ons, mental FFA lacks cultural rela vism (the idea t
disorders are more frequent in some countries (USA), than in others (Japan). Real-life applica ons in the diagnosis of human behaviour can only be made
E = However, that doesn’t mean this is actually the case = S gma if mental disorders of mental disorders culture) in its assessment of mental dis
are reported: “ the majority of the general public in Japan keep a greater social E = FFA can be very helpful in ge ng a E = classi ca on of mental disorders in
distance from individuals with mental illness, especially in close personal suitable diagnosis and therefore on white middle-class (o en male) cult
rela onships.” (Ando et al. 2013). treatment. E = According to DSM-V/ GAF scale/ WH
= Mental disorders not reported as readily as in the USA. E = DSM and ICD have improved on Thunderbirds = an irra onal behaviour
Social norms change over me
L = Therefore, once more, we must be cau ons when interpre ng sta s cal results their diagnosis à criteria have been •However, this diagnosis would not be
E = Un l 1960’s in UK homosexual acts were criminal o ences + un l 1973 in
across di erent cultures. re ned, even including an appendix American) à normal behaviour.
USA homosexuality was a mental disorder.
on culture-bound syndromes. L = Therefore can be argued FFA as a de
E = possible that some traits that considered as abnormal will be declassi ed
L = Many forms or therapies are unreliable as it will result in di erent di
Some characteris cs are desirable! in future in West (gender iden ty disorders). In the meanwhile, those
available to pa ents such as C = However: a empts by DSM + ICD to
E = If very few people display a behaviour, according to this individuals are labelled and possibly medicated/ undergoing therapy/
psychotherapies, drug therapies à syndromes, but cri cs argue it doesn’t
de ni on that makes the behaviour abnormal. However, it irreversible surgery because they are considered as abnormal.
help the pa ent manage their day-to-
doesn’t always mean that the person requires treatment. L =Therefore, DSN does not provide a sound basis for indica ng
day lives (e.g. returning to work).
E = E.g. IQ scores over 130 are just as unusal as those below 70, psychological abnormality and should take a cri cal stance on our present
(Treatments are more ethical today =
but not regarded as undesirable and requiring treatment. classi ca on of mental disorders. 3. Failure to func on adequately (FFA)
v.s. ‘gay cure’, trepana on,
L = Therefore, this is a serious limita on of the concept of SI and to live a normal life, unable to exper
lobotomies…):
means that it should never be used alone to make a diagnosis. emo ons, or engage in the normal r
• E.G. - cant hold a job/maintain rela on
DSN could lead to human rights abuse. Cultural rela vism
Real-life applica ons in the 2. Devia on from social norms - abnormal behaviour issues
E = too much reliance on DSN to E = What is normal in one culture might not be in
diagnosis of mental disorders is seen as a devia on from unstated rules about • Abnormal behaviour interferer with d
understand abnormality can lead to a another culture (as each culture de nes its own set of
E = SI is a useful and quick part how one ‘ought’ to behave. Anything that violates systema c abuse of human rights. social norms) = abnormality might thus be di cult to
of clinical assessment as it these rules is considered abnormal. ROSENHAN AND SELIGMAN (1989)
E = e.g. Drapetomania (black slaves de ne especially in mul -cultural society.
includes a comparison with the Signs of failure to cope:
trying to escape) + nymphomania E = Examples:
rest of the popula on. • Social norms are approved and expected ways of Personal distress - billy
(women a racted to working-class - African/Indian cultures consider it normal to talk to
E = E.g. Intellectual disability behaving in a society. Distress is main symptom of depression
men) are examples of how diagnosis the dead.
disorder (IDD) demonstrates • In terms of social norms, abnormal behaviour can be experience disturbed sleep, cons pa on
was used for social control a means to - Hearing voices is socially acceptable in some cultures
how sta s cal infrequency can seen as behaviour which deviates from or violates redness
control women, minority groups and but would be seen as a sign of abnormality
be used. social norms. Interpersonal rules not respected
poli cal/ religious dissidents. (schizophrenia) in the UK.
L = iden ca on of a mental • homosexuality used to be classi es as a mental Irra onal behaviour - schizophrenia, Mr.
L = such classi ca ons appear L = Classi ca on of mental disorders in the West is
disorder can lead to various disorder in the UK un l 1976. Unpredictable behaviour
ridiculous but some psychologists almost en rely based on white middle-class culture .This
interven ons, such as • e.g. an social personality disorder (APD) argue that some modern abnormal therefore can create problems for people from one
educa onal support etc. (the (psychopathy) WHODAS SCALE = The lower the score, t
classi ca ons are abuses of people’s culture living within another cultural group.
earlier, the be er). • someone who is aggressive, impulsive, irresponsible. is a persistent danger of hur ng self or o
rights to be di erent.
maintain minimal personal hygiene, or s
ti fifitititifitititititifi
titifftififititttititifffitttttitttitititititititititifttiti tifffittiti tifititi fi titi ffititi ff fftififfti titi tiffti fitttititititititi fi ffti ti ti
