FUNDAMENTALS OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY RONALD J. COMER Chapter 1 Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

What Do We Mean by Abnormality? There is no consensus definition There are some clear elements of abnormality ABNORMALITY © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Elements of Abnormality Elements of abnormality include: Deviance Distress Dysfunction Danger © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Elements of Abnormality Points to remember! No one element is sufficient to define or determine abnormality Definition of deviant changes as society changes © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The DSM-5 Definition MENTAL DISORDER Clinically significant disturbance in behavior, emotional regulation, or cognitive function Associated with distress or disability Biological, psychological, or developmental dysfunction in individual MENTAL DISORDER © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment Inpatient hospitalization typically in psychiatric units Not all people receive treatment Vast majority of treatment is done on outpatient basis Inpatient hospitalization typically in psychiatric units © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

What Is Treatment? Jerome Frank claims that all forms of therapy have three essential features: A sufferer who seeks relief from the healer A trained healer A series of contacts through which the healer tries to produce certain changes in the sufferer’s emotional state, attitudes, and behavior Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

Ancient skull with holes from trephination

Greek and Roman Views and Treatments 500 B.C.E. Hippocrates believed and taught that illnesses had natural causes He looked to an unbalance of the four fluids, or humors Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

500-1350 A.D. – Middle Ages LO 14.1 How has mental illness been explained? How is abnormality defined? mentally ill labeled witches connected to satan Lycanthropy – people were possessed by wolves

The Nineteenth Century: Reform and Moral Treatment Pinel (France) and Tuke (England) advocated moral treatment – care that emphasized moral guidance and humane techniques State hospitals created Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

The Nineteenth Century: Reform and Moral Treatment reversal of the moral treatment movement due to: Money and staff shortages Declining recovery rates Overcrowding Emergence of prejudice long-term hospitalization Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

The Early Twentieth Century: The Somatogenic Perspective Abnormal functioning has physical causes The Psychogenic Perspective Abnormal functioning has psychological causes Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) Sigmund Freud 1856-1939 Franz Mesmer (1734 - 1815) Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

Current Trends 43% believe that people bring mental health disorders upon themselves 35% consider mental health disorders to be caused by sinful behavior Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

In the 1950s, researchers discovered psychotropic medications: Antipsychotic drugs Antidepressant drugs Antianxiety drugs led to deinstitutionalization and a rise in outpatient care Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

The growing influence of managed care program (HMOs) determines key care issues reimbursements for mental disorders tend to be lower than those for medical disorders Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

How Are People with Less Severe Disturbances Treated? 1 in 6 adults in the US receives treatment for psychological disorders in the course of a year, the majority for fewer than 5 sessions Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

What Are Today’s Leading Theories and Professions? abnormal psychology has numerous theoretical perspectives, including: Psychoanalytic Biological Behavioral Cognitive Humanistic-existential Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

Research Approaches in Abnormal Psychology A scientific attitude and approach to the study of abnormal behavior Helps understand etiology and nature of disorder Reduces error © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Case Studies Specific individual observed and described in detail Subject to bias of author of case study Low generalizability © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-Report Data Participants asked to provide information about themselves Interviews and Questionnaires May be inaccurate l © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Observational Approaches Collecting information without asking participants directly for it Outward behavior can be observed directly Biological variables can be observed via technologically advanced methods © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation – how variables are related Strength or magnitude = 0 to 1.0 Direction of relationship = + or - © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Figure 1.2: Measuring Correlation © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlations and Causality If two variables are correlated, there are multiple possible reasons for this. How many reasons can you identify? © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlations and Causality Correlation does NOT mean causation! © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology Study of distribution of diseases, disorders, or health-related behaviors in a given population © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence Typically expressed as percentages Number of active cases in population during any given period of time Typically expressed as percentages © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Incidence Number of new cases in population over given period of time Incidence figures are typically lower than prevalence figures © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manipulating Variables: The Experimental Method in Abnormal Psychology Experimental research involves: Independent variable Dependent variable © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manipulating Variables: The Experimental Method in Abnormal Psychology Experimental research CAN determine causation! © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Alternative Experimental Designs Quasi-experimental designs – no random assignment Natural experiment Analogue experiment Comer, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, 7e

Single-Case Experimental Designs Single-case research designs Make causal inferences in individual cases Involve alternating baseline condition and treatment condition © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Figure 1.4: An ABAB Experimental Design: Kris’s Treatment Trichotillomania and given 2.5 lb weights on her hands. © 2014, 2013, 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.