Psychological Disorders Abnormal psychology Chapter 16, Goal 5 Psychological Disorders Abnormal psychology

What is the difference between normal and abnormal behavior? According to Rosenhan and Seligman(1984) Suffering – does the person experience distress and discomfort? Maladaptiveness – does the person engage in behaviors that make life difficult for him or her rather than being helpful? Irrationality – is the person incomprehensible or unable to communicate Unpredictability – does the person act in ways that are unexpected by himself or herself or by other people?

5. Vividness and unconventionality – does the person experience things that are different from most people? 6. Observer discomfort – is the person acting in a way that is difficult to watch or that makes other people embarrassed? 7. Violation of moral or ideal standards – does the person habitually break the accepted ethical and moral standards of the culture?

The first four – how a person is living Fifth – social judgment, what is convention or not Last two – social norms. Problem with social judgments – often fail to consider diversity in how people live their lives – Defining abnormality is PROBLEMATIC!!!

Jahoda’s (1958) normal characteristics Efficient self-perception Realistic self-esteem and acceptance Voluntary control of behavior True perception of the world Sustaining relationships and giving affection Self-direction and productivity

Criticism of Jahoda If criteria were applied, most of us would seem somehow abnormal These are value judgements Example: Changing views on homosexuality

DSM-III (1980)Changed homosexuality from a disorder to “only abnormal if the individual has negative feelings about his or her sexual orientation.” DSM-IV (1994) “Sexual disorders not otherwise specified” where it is marked as “persistant and marked distress about one’s sexual orientation”

What has happened in the meantime – people’s attitudes have changed What has happened in the meantime – people’s attitudes have changed. It is no longer considered abnormal and cannot be classified as such What is normal and not changes!!

DSM The American Psychiataric Association published a manual to list observable symptoms Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders The 5th version (update) has just been released.

Transsexualism DSM-IV has classified as a disorder Called gender identity disorder After movie Boys Don’t Cry, there are arguments to declassify it.

ABC’s of a disorder Psychologists use this when describing symptoms of a disorder Affective symptons – emotional elements (fear, sadness, anger) Behavioral symptoms – observational behaviours (crying, physical withdrawal from others, pacing) Cognitive symptoms – ways of thinking (pessimism, personalization, self-image) Somataic Symptoms – physical symptoms (facial twitching, stomach cramping a amenorrhea)

Criticisms in trying to identify characteristics of “abnormality” Some use these labels as an “excuse” for behavior Diagnosis are not objective, can be influenced by culture and politics In the former Soviet Union dissidents were diagnosed as schizophrenic In the UK in the 1800s women who were pregnant and not married could be admitted to an asylum.

Thomas Szasz “The Myth of Mental Illness” 1962 Some neurophysiological disorders are diseases of the brain (Alzheimers) Most “mental disorders” should be considered as “problems in living” The concept of mental illness is not used correctly by psychiatrists

Is Szasz’s argument valid today? Neurophychologists have revealed possible chemical abnormality in the brain (schizophrenia) But brain scans haven’t yet provided an ultimate answer.

Szasz Ideology and Insanity (1974) People use labels such as mentally ill, criminal or foreigner in order to socially exclude people Also, those labelled as mentally ill often endure prejudice and discrimination

Rosenhan’s study Shows the concerns about reliability in the diagnosis of psychiatric illness. 2 psychiatrists can easily diagnose the same patient with different disorders. Bias in diagnosis, attitudes and prejudices of the psychiatrist Must rely on the patient himself to answer questions about his own behavior – may be unreliable.

Biopsychosocial Approach Nature and Nurture Biological causes Psychological causes Social Causes different cultures have different anxiety disorders anorexia-nervosa (western cultures) Susto, fear of black magic (Latin America) Taijim-kyofusho (eye contact ???) Japan

Andrea Yates http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3xN__s2-KQ