PSY 335 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Dsm-5, Mental Disorder, Psychopathology
6 Apr 2016
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What defines psychopathology: is it unusual/infrequent. But not talent or rare abilities, that we don"t call unusual: is socially or culturally unacceptable. But there could be different cultures between assessor and patient: causes discomfort or distress. But there are forms of psychopathology where person may not be distressed or notice that they are. But people around them are distressed by their behaviour. Substance use individuals may be distressed without the drug: interferes with functioning/causes impairment. Main criterion that clinicians rely on to determine if behaviour is abnormal or normal. But should they compare client to people they know or everyone. One persons optimal level of functioning is not the same as someone else"s. High social anxiety may have small social networks but someone might just have little friends: poses risk to self or other people. Not all mental disorders pose risk to the self or others in an obvious way.
