Defining Abnormality

How would you define normal and abnormal?

Map to Spec – Page Definition of the application Define b)Define and use psychological terminology accurately and appropriately including: i. statistical definition of abnormality ii. social norm definition of abnormality

Map to Spec – Page Content a)Describe a)Describe both the statistical definition of abnormality and the ‘social norms’ definition of abnormality. b)Evaluate ‘social norms’ definition b)Evaluate the statistical definition of abnormality and the ‘social norms’ definition of abnormality

Definitions – What is normal/abnormal? 1.Statistical Infrequency 2.Deviation from social Norm’s 3.Failure to Function Adequately 4.Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

Statistical Infrequency

differing from the norm By definition abnormality means differing from the norm or average. abnormal Statistically infrequent behaviour is regarded as abnormal, whereas frequent behaviour is normal. normal distribution curve Individual characteristics can be measured (e.g., mood, intelligence, etc…) and the distribution of these characteristics within the population can be graphed. The normal distribution curve shows the majority of people as being in the middle. These people are defined as ‘normal’. Relatively few people fall at either end. However, if they are then they are defined as ‘abnormal’. For example, most “normal” people eat an average of between 1500 to 3000 calories a day. However, anorexics consume very few calories, and bulimics consume lots “abnormal” – which makes their behaviour “abnormal”

2 SD. The spread is measured by standard deviation 68% of the population fall between 1 SD either side of the mean and 95% fall between 2 SD. Thus, scores outside this range are unusual, therefore 2.5% fall below it and 2.5% above it. The statistical definition The IQ intelligence quotient is often given as an example of the working of this definition. IQ is normally distributed across the population and anyone outside the normal limits is said to have an abnormal IQ. IQ has a standard deviation of 15 and a mean of 100. One standard deviation either side would be from 85 to 115, two standard deviations either side is from , this is where normal ends. An IQ score of 130 and above is abnormally high IQ score, and the same for an IQ score of 70 and below Only 2.2% of the IQ score is above 130 and below 70. mental disorder This is further illustrated by the fact that having an IQ below 70 is one of the criteria's for mental disorder.

Abnormality is seen as anything that is statistically infrequent normal distribution It helps to know about normal distribution, a characteristic of behaviour is seen as normally distributed if the mean average, mode and median all fall in the same place normally distributed In the middle of the scores this simply means that there are roughly the same number of scores on each side of the average - the scores are normally distributed around the average two standard deviations abnormality Any score that is two standard deviations or more away from the mean denotes abnormality This is not only applied to IQ but to other mental health criteria For example: - very high score abnormal DASS (depression, anxiety, and stress scale) uses a questionnaire to measure depression, anxiety and stress, a very high score would be considered abnormal and in need for treatment, the DASS score would be expected to fall in the middle to be considered normal. Normal Distribution

normally distributed abnormal Knowing that the data is normally distributed means that anyone a long way away outside the average could be regards as abnormal.

Can you? Have a go at describing the statistical infrequency definition in your own words

Evaluation…. Lets have a discussion! Is this definition of abnormality suitable in terms of diagnosis? People who are extremes either end – are they abnormal? What might the limitations of this definition be?

Strengths quantitative measure objective It gives a quantitative measure that is objective. assistance and funding On a practical level - can be useful as evidence in support of requests for assistance and funding for those identified scientific Having a number is not only useful because it is seen as objective but also because it is accepted as more scientific.

Weaknesses undesirabledesirable Abnormal in both a statistical and a mental health sense may not be undesirable - an IQ score of 130+ is likely to be seen as desirable infrequent BUT… IQ scores of 130+ are infrequent but you wouldn’t call these people abnormal: Albert Einstein Sharon Stone Charles Darwin Bill Gates Abraham Lincoln Hillary Clinton Sir Isaac Newton

frequent There are statistically frequent behaviours which are considered as abnormal left-handedness What about left-handedness? not rare abnormal behaviour Abnormal behaviour is not rare, most people are likely to show abnormal behaviour some time in their life.

mental retardation Some one who fits the criteria for mental retardation but are living happy and independent lives IQ of 69IQ of 70 Sarah and Michelle are both sisters, Sarah has an IQ of 69 and Michelle has an IQ of 70, both work on a full time basis at their Local Tesco’s, Sarah is thinking of going back to college and do an NVQ qualification, whilst Michelle is expecting her first child and wants to become a full-time mum. abnormal Cut off point is an IQ score of 70, how can we justify someone as being abnormal if they have a score of 69? An Example

Deviation from Social Norms

What are social norms? Queuing for one hour in the Post Office Being covered head to toe in tattoos Stealing from the local shop Not standing too close to someone when you speak Hearing voices in our head Counting the number of times you chew your food Being part of a gay community Being a member of a church group that meets daily Having big holes in your earlobes Wearing appropriate clothes when its cold. Saying please and thank you Wearing a diving suit when walking down the road

Deviation from social norms standards of behaviour – law accepted Every society has accepted standards of behaviour – can be based on law, or just generally accepted by society regulation Social norms allow for the regulation of normal behaviour. deviations from the social norm One approach to defining abnormality is to consider deviations from the social norm as an indicator of abnormal behaviour.

Written social norms legal system People who commit crimes are considered abnormal, because they are breaking the rules of the legal system All people who are in prison are considered abnormal by this definition e.g. murderers, fraudsters, paedophiles, robbers, burglars and drunk drivers.

Unwritten Social Norms E.g. holding doors open for people rather than letting it slam into their face Can you think of any others?

Unwritten social norms Being polite Opening doors for people Not hearing voices Not washing your hands 50 times a day Queuing in shops Not standing too close to people when talking Wearing clothes when walking around outside These are just a few examples which give an indication of normal/abnormal behaviour

What is considered a deviation from a social norm?

Can you? Have a go at describing the social norms definition of abnormality in your own words…

The effect of culture different social norms Different cultures/societies will have different social norms – would define abnormality differently schizophrenia For example, hearing voices in one culture would be seen as being connected to spirits, whereas in another – schizophrenia In the Chippewa culture, a native American culture, visions of Thunderbirds - a great bird, are regarded as a great honour. However, western psychiatry would view these visions as a symptom of schizophrenia (hallucinations).

Genital Retraction Syndrome (Koro) retracting into the body shrinking removed fatal A condition in which an individual is overcome with the belief that his/her external genitals are retracting into the body, shrinking, or in some male cases, may be imminently removed or disappear. Beliefs in many instances assert such a physical change to the individual that the result is often fatal. Culturally specific (East Asia) – how would we diagnose this here?

The effect of context situationcontext abnormalnormal The situation and context for the behaviour are both important, a behaviour might be abnormal in one context but normal in another normal/abnormal When would these instances be considered to be normal/abnormal?

The effect of historical context norm What was considered as the norm many years ago might have changed E.G - becoming pregnant outside wedlock was considered evidence as a mental health problem 100 years ago, women could have been put into an institution because of it Homosexuality in 1980 DSM ClassificationSymptoms Drapetomania Slaves experienced an irrational desire to run away Nymphomania Middle class women were sexually attracted to working class men Moral insanity Women who inherited money spent it on themselves rather than male relatives

Deviation from social norms Two disorders that can be classified using the Deviation from Social Norms definition are:  Schizophrenia  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Pick one of these and discuss with your partner how they relate to the definition of abnormality. Then join with another pair and share your ideas about your disorder.

Strengths and Weaknesses definition of abnormality Using the cards, decide which of the points are related to which definition of abnormality strengths weaknesses Then decide on which are strengths and which are weaknesses of each definition table Copy the points into the table provided

structuring an answer Have a go at structuring an answer for a 12 mark exam question on the two definitions of abnormality Exam Question

Dr Padawi wishes to explain to a group of hospital volunteers how psychiatrists try to make decisions about abnormality. Dr Padawi decides to start by explaining how abnormality is defined. Describe and evaluate two definitions of abnormality. In your answer you must refer to how Dr Padawi might explain definitions of abnormality to the volunteers. (12 marks)

Text book Introduction to clinical psychology - Read pages It re-states what you will be covering (see specification) Two definitions of abnormality reading Pages – read and make notes Be ready to ask/answer questions next lesson