Chapter 1 - Psychological Disorders

Dysfunction

severely interferes with the individual's ability to

function in daily life (job, relationships, etc)

Distress

causes the individual emotional suffering or harm. Can

also be distress caused within other people

Deviance

the behavior is highly unusual

Dangerousness

the behavior is harmful (suicide, aggression, etc)

What are the four D’s?

Dysfunction, Distress, Dangerousness, and Deviance

Continuum Model

No clear definition and not just black and white

Continuum Model: Normal

Typical for social context, not distressing to the individual, not interfering with social life or work/school, and not dangerous

Continuum Model: Middle

Somewhat unusual for the social context, distressing to the individual, interfering with social or occupational functioning, and dangerous

Continuum Model: Abnormal

Highly unusual for the social context, source of significant individual distress, significantly interfering with social or occupational functioning, and highly dangerous to the individual or others

What is abnormal behaviors and factors to consider about it?

Cultural relativism, unusualness, distress, and mental illness model

Cultural relativism

No universal standards or rules for labeling psychopathology; different definitions across cultures (ex. some behaviors appear abnormal to outside cultures, gender-role exceptions, and behaviors that violate socia norms are often considered abnormal)

Unusualness

Assumes rare behavior is abnormal - normal curve (bell curve) represents human characteristics and what part of the curve would you determine to be “rare” or “unusual”?

Distress

Behaviors are abnormal only if the individual experiences distress and wishes to get rid of the behavior (ex. grandiose delusions, OCD, and substance use disorder)

Mental Illness Model

Behaviors are abnormal that result from mental illness or disease

Assumption: there is a clear, identifiable physical process that differs from “health” (ex. someone with depression assumes this “disease” should show up on some biological test like hypertension shows in blood pressure tests)