1. Abnormal Behavior or Psychological Disorders
Content as per College Board
Abnormal Behavior 7-9 %

2. Well being Self acceptance Positive relations with others Autonomy
Environmental mastery
Purpose in life
Personal growth
Carol Ryff
Myers’ Teachers Guide

3. What is a disorder?
There is no one absolute definition of psychological disorders
A continuum exists between mental health and pathology
Some proposed definitions may include: (from sample textbooks)

4. A psychological disorder can be defined as a pattern of behaviors or psychological symptoms that cause significant personal distress and/or impairs the ability to function in one or more important areas of life.
A syndrome marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation or behavior. (adapted from American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

5. From the DSM 5
A mental disorder is a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological or developmental processes underlying mental functioning.
Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational, or other important activities.
2013

6. From the DSM 5
An expectable or culturally approved response to a common stressor or loss, such as the death of a loved one, is not a mental disorder.
Socially deviant behavior (e.g., political, religious or sexual) and conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are not mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict results from dysfunction in the individual, as described above.
2013

7. Who suffers from disorders?
Diathesis-Stress Model-The diathesis, or predisposition, interacts with the subsequent stress response of an individual.
Stress refers to a life event or series of events that disrupt a person’s psychological equilibrium and potentially serves as a catalyst to the development of a disorder.
Sometimes referred to as the stress-vulnerability model- explanation of disorder that assumes a biological sensitivity (vulnerability) to a certain disorder will result in the development of that disorder under the right conditions of environmental or emotional stress

8. Historical Perspectives on Abnormal Behavior
The ancient world
Greece
Hippocrates- ( BCE) believed that mental illness was the result of natural, as opposed to supernatural causes
Galen – ( BCE) divided the causes of mental disorders into physical and psychological causes
China
Chung Ching- (200CE) stated that both organ pathologies and stressful psychological events were causes of mental disorders

9. The Middle Ages ( CE)
Europe- abnormal behavior was viewed as a demonic possession. Treatment might include prayer, laying on of hands and/or exorcism performed by the clergy. Possibly witch hunts?
Islamic Countries-known for humane hospitals for mentally ill (Baghdad 792 CE).

10. The Renaissance- brings reemergence of the scientific approach to mental illness
Teresa of Avila ( CE) a Spanish nun established a conceptual framework that suggests the mind can be sick
Johann Weyer ( CE) of Germany used scientific skepticism to refute the concept of demonic possession

11. Humanitarian Reforms of 18th-19th centuries
Philippe Pinel (France)-pioneered compassionate medical model for the treatment of the mentally ill
William Tuke (England)- introduced trained nurses for the mentally ill
Benjamin Rush (United States) founder of American psychiatry and established hospitals for the mentally ill
Dorothea Dix (United States) advocated for reforms to allow for humane treatment of mentally ill in institutional settings

12. Deinstitutionalization
Occurred due to scientific advances of the 20th century
Psychopharmacology
Medical advances including imaging devices (CT, MRI, PET)
Release of patients back into their usual community using out- patient care
Historical perspective from: TOPSS Unit Lesson Plan

13. Modes or Perspectives of Psychological Disorders

14. Psychological Models
Psychodynamic (Psychoanalytic)- explains disordered behavior as the result of repressing one’s threatening thoughts, memories, concerns in the unconscious mind
Sigmund Freud
Carl Jung
Alfred Adler
Erik Erikson

15. The Biopsychological Perspective
Emphasizes that mental illness should be diagnosed on the basis of its symptoms and cured through medical intervention
Relates to genetic predisposition, abnormalities in brain structure and biochemistry
Medical Doctors (M.D.)

16. The Behavioral Model
Learning perspective emphasizes inappropriate behaviors might have been reinforced and thus reoccurred
Observational learning and modeling may play a role
John B. Watson
B. F. Skinner
Albert Bandura

17. The Cognitive Model
Emphasizes the irrational, illogical and/or maladaptive thought process or thinking patterns
Aaron Beck
Albert Ellis

18. The Biopsychosocial Model
Biological, psychological (psychodynamic, behaviorist and cognitive) and sociocultural influences interact to cause the various forms of disorders
This view has become an influential way to view the connection between mind and body
Ciccarelli and White, AP Edition Psychology
TOPSS Unit Lesson Plan

19. The DSM-5 Published by the American Psychiatric Association
Widely used diagnostic system for the United States
Provides a set of criteria to make assessments
International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
ICD published by World Health Organization

20. DSM 5 has removed the multiaxial system
Axes I, II and III are all listed on a single axis which includes all mental disorders as well as personality disorders and intellectual disabilities as well as other medical diagnosis
Reference: APA, FRQ about DSM-5
Axis V (Global Assessment of Functioning) was used to determine medical necessity for treatment.
A single GAF score may not convey information to adequately assess functioning.
Section III of DSM provides separate assessments for severity and disability in regard to functioning