Chapter 5: Abnormal Psychology

Abnormality

________ can be seen as a means of social control because society decided what behaviors are acceptable.

Explanation

________: predict the course of disease and patients response to interventions.

Maladaptive

________- inability to achieve major life goals.

Observer discomfort

________- it makes other people uncomfortable to witness this behavior.

Statistical infrequency

________ is used as a criterion of abnormality.

Irrationality

________- others can not understand why the person behaves in this way.

Humanistic psychologists

________ are known for their belief that psychology should focus on positive aspects of human experiences (health, happiness, self- realization) rather than mental illness.

Parameters

________ are difficult to measure or quantify.

Test retest reliability

________: different clinicians make a diagnosis but the recording of the clinicians make a difference.

DSM

The ________ is what clinicians use to arrive at a diagnosis by matching the individual's behavior with the symptoms.

Violation of moral standards

________- behavior goes against the common moral norms established in the society.

Unpredictable loss of control

________- lack of consistency in actions.

Inter rater reliability

________: different clinicians using the same classification system should arrive to the same diagnosis for the same patient.

Period prevalence

________: proportion of a population that has the same disorder at some time during a given period.

Point prevalence rate

________: proportion of people in the population currently diagnosed with the disorder.

What is considered normal 10

years ago may be considered abnormal now, and vice versa

Example

Someone could think that there is nothing unacceptable about a person being afraid to walk out of their house

Example

The way you behave in school and the way you behave at a party would be different, but it is acceptable in the given context

Suffering

subjective experience of ones state as wrong

Maladaptive

inability to achieve major life goals

Example

inability to establish positive interpersonal relationships

Unconventional behavior

behavior that stands out and differs substantially from that of most people

Unpredictable/ loss of control

lack of consistency in actions

Irrationality

others cannot understand why the person behaves in this way

Observer discomfort

it makes other people uncomfortable to witness this behavior

Violation of moral standards

behavior goes against the common moral norms established in the society

A weakness of this approach

it may be hard to fully achieve all 6 parameters of mental health

Example

People with higher IQs are outside the norm

Point prevalence rate

proportion of people in the population currently diagnosed with the disorder

Period prevalence

proportion of a population that has the same disorder at some time during a given period

Onset age

the average age when individuals in a given population first develop the disorder

Inter-rater reliability

different clinicians using the same classification system should arrive to the same diagnosis for the same patient

Test-retest reliability

different clinicians make a diagnosis but the recording of the clinicians make a difference

Science purses 4 goals

description, explanation, prediction, and control

Description

achieved by classification systems

Explanation

predict the course of disease and patients response to interventions