Psychopathology and Mental Disorders: Definitions, Criteria, and Historical Perspectives

Mental disorder

a group of emotional (feelings), cognitive (thinking), or behavioral symptoms that cause distress or significant problems

Psychopathology

the scientific study of problematic feelings, thoughts, and behaviors associated with mental disorders (replaces the term abnormal)

Deviance from the norm

Less statistically frequent behaviors are considered psychopathological/statistically deviant

Advantages of deviance

We use our own judgement or gut feeling; Once statistical or objective cutoff scores are established, they are easy to apply; Clear guidelines for identifying emotions, thoughts, or behaviors as normal or psychopathological

Limitations of deviance

Different cultures have different ideas about what normal behavior is; 'Statistically deviant' behaviors may be valued (e.g., high intelligence); Arbitrary cutoffs (e.g., a score of 80 may not be much different than a score of 81)

Experience of personal distress

Extreme levels of distress created by a behavior as psychopathological

Advantages of personal distress

Hallmark of many forms of mental disorders; Individuals may be able to accurately report this

Limitations of personal distress

Some psychological problems are not associated with distress; Thresholds or cutoffs for distress are not always clear

Difficulties adapting to life's demands

Behavior interferes with a person's ability to function effectively

Maladaptive behavior

one that interferes with a person's life, including ability to care for oneself, have good relationships with others, and function well at school or at work

Advantages of maladaptive behavior

Typically easy to observe if someone is having difficulty; Often prompts people to seek psychological treatment

Limitations of maladaptive behavior

Unclear who determines impairment or whether a consensus about impairment is required; Thresholds for impairment are not always clear; Difference between good functioning and maladaptive behavior is not always easy to measure; People may engage in odd behaviors but experience little interference in daily functioning

Common definition of psychopathology

Group of emotional, cognitive, or behavioral symptoms that cause distress or significant problems

Symptoms for diagnosis

The symptoms alone are NOT sufficient for diagnosis (need the distress and impairment as well)

Dimensionality in psychopathology

Emotions, thoughts, and behaviors associated with mental disorders are present, to some degree, in all of us

Continuum of Emotions, Cognitions, and Behaviors

They exist on a continuum

Early Biological Explanations

thought these could be treated to fix psychopathology

Hippocrates' view

Mental disturbances have natural causes (problems with the brain)

General paresis and syphilis

Known to occur together in some patients by mid-1800's

Insulin-coma therapy

Insulin used to put patients into a coma

Prefrontal lobotomy

Used for individuals with psychosis

Biological tradition

Drug therapy with initial enthusiasm followed by disappointment

Asylums

One of the first mental institutions, e.g., Bethlehem (founded in 1243)

Moral treatment

Small, privately funded, humanitarian mental hospitals where patients engaged in purposeful, calming activities

Dorthea Dix

Urged improvement of institutions and established new, public hospitals

Themes in psychopathology

Dimensional perspective, prevention perspective, consumer perspective, diversity, and stigma