7128 Lecture 1: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY REDUCED
21 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Abnormal Psychology
Definition
-abnormal Psych is the study of understanding, explaining and modifying abnormal behaviours
-more than mental disorders (psychopathology) but often the focus
Elements of abnormal behavior
-Statistical Rarity (infrequency)
o
oExtent of abnormal behavior
Anxiety: 14.4% in 12 month prevalence
oSchizophrenia
Lifetime: 1%
oDepression
Lifetime: 24%
oAny disorder
Lifetime: 45%
-Deviance or Norm Violation
oContextual deviance defines abnormality based on the social acceptability of behaviours
Eg gender role expectations
Opponents: Thomas Szasz
-Distress
oSubjective psychological distress, such as suffering and a desire to change behavior
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oIndividual assessment of their own abnormality, rather than societal
-Dysfunction or disability
oImpairment determined by how adaptive or maladaptive a behavior is determined to be
oImpact on life and social roles eg work, family, friendships, health
-Some would also say; danger
oAssessment of harm to self or other
Contextual aspects of psychopathology: definitions, diagnosis and treatments
-Psychological disorders
oEmil Kraepelin
First modern diagnostic classification system in 1883
oDiagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM
Originally: 1952
Currently: 5th edition in 2013
-Definition of mental disorder: syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individuals cognition,
emotion regulation, or behaviours that reflect a dysfunction in the psychological, biological or developmental
processes underlying mental functioning. Usually associated with significant distress or disability in social,
occupational or other important activities. Social deviance or culturally approved responses aren’t included.
-Specifiers and exclusions
oAll disorders include specific criteria for diagnosis
Eg not due to a medical conditions or substance
Causes clinically significant distress and impairment
Lots of caviets needs to be made before confirming a condition
-Diagnosis
oAssumptions of medical model
Abnormal condition
Caused by underlying pathological processes
oSyndromes
Cluster of symptoms with common cause and which respond to common treatment labeled
disorder
-Purpose of diagnosis
oAssists to describe
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Cause, Behaviours (clinical characteristics and functional impairment), Prediction (eg marital
distress)
oAnd to
Communicate between professionals: Makes things move faster – as long as accurate
Legitimize: We can then research those with the symptoms to help with treatment
Research (etiology, treatment)
-Concerns
oSocial construction
oNot explanatory
Might not explain what is most important to them in their life
oLabels and stigma (self and other)
Empowered vs helpless
oDiscrimination
Response in unhelpful or inappropriate ways
oLoss of unique aspects of individual
Labelling; that is not their whole self - shouldn’t be the definition of themselves
-Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM5
oMay 2013: 13 years between 4 and 5
o300 + disorders in a range of categories
oCharacteristics
Essential features including thresholds
Differential diagnosis
Associated features eg lab findings, physical exams
Research literature (onset, course, prevalence, sex ratio, familial patterns, differential diagnosis)
Cultural concepts of distress
oStrengths
Reliability: Tested criteria. Changes based on categories
oCriticisms
Too many categories
50-60% comorbid disorders
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