PSY240H5 Lecture 2: PSY240
Document Summary
01/11 lecture 2 concepts of abnormality. Psychopathology is easy to recognize but difficult to define. Lots of symptom overlap in categorized disorders; less definitive tests than in medicine. Dsm v says depression doesn"t have to be sadness over a long period of time, it just has to be extreme and intense sadness better to treat it quicker and not wait for it to get out of control. Abnormal can be a single occurrence of a strange behavior (e. g. suicide attempt) or repeated occurrences. What is abnormal behavior: statistical criteria behavior statistically deviates from the norm (mean/avg. Help begins with an assessment questions, standard psych tests, medical lab tests, careful listening; mental status exam, physical exam. Try to understand why they need help at the time they came to therapy (chief complaint), try to broaden the context of this by understanding social situation, background info; what may have set them up for the current problem.