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Defining Abnormality
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Understanding Abnormality At times, understanding normal behavior is difficult enough Tolerance for a developing field Remaining objective
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What is Normal? What is Abnormal?
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DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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behavior that occurs infrequently DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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behavior that is considered unacceptable within a given culture DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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behavior that is ineffective in meeting a person’s goals DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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Behavior or feelings that are uncomfortable to the person experiencing them DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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PROBLEMS? STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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Common problems?Common problems? Focus on negative?Focus on negative? DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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What about cultural differences?What about cultural differences? Norms change with timeNorms change with time DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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Changes with each person and their goals?Changes with each person and their goals? DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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Too subjective?Too subjective? Who defines distressing?Who defines distressing? DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR
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The Take Home Message Abnormality is hard to define There is no definition of “normal” Can use several rules (at once) Rules can change with purpose Research Therapy Abnormality/Normality is continuous
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The DSM-IV Definition Mental disorder = Clinically significant impairment Associated with current distress Not an expected or sanctioned response Is a manifestation of dysfunction Neither deviant behavior nor societal conflicts qualify alone
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