psychopathology definitions

what is cultural relativism

the view that behaviour cannot be judged properly unless it is viewed in the context of the culture in which it originates

what is ideal mental health

includes a positive attitude towards the self, resistance to stress and an accurate perception of reality

describe how mental illness is defined

in terms of mental health- behaviours that are associated with competence and happiness

describe deviations from social/cultural norms

deviation from unstated rules about how one ought to behave

anyone who violates these rules in considered to have mental illness

what is the DSM

a list of mental disorders that is used to diagnose mental illnesses

for each disorder a list of clinical characteristics is given- ie. the symptoms that should be looked for

what 6 characteristics enable an individual to feel happy and behave competently

1. self attitudes- high self esteem and strong sense of identity

2. personal growth and self actualisation

3. integration- being able to cope with stressful situations

4. autonomy- being independent and self regulating

5. having an accurate perception of reality

6. mastery of the environment- ability to love, function at work, adjust to new situations and solve problems

created by Jahoda

what are social and cultural norms

the shared beliefs of what is deemed acceptable behaviour within a specific social group or culture

anyone who behaves differently from these norms could be considered rude and their behaviour could be seen as a sign of mental illness

what is an implicit social norm

not policed but socially agreed upon

e.g. not laughing at a funeral

what is an explicit social norm

policed rule

e.g. not stealing

evaluate ideal mental health

• many characteristics are culture bound- e.g. self actualisation is based upon individualist cultures not collectivist cultures

• positive approach- focuses on positive not negative- can help reduce stigma as if no one can fulfill all criteria all the time it shows it is more ordinary

• unrealistic criteria- difficult to measure and the criteria would lead most people to have a mental illness

evaluate deviation from social/cultural norms

• susceptible to abuse- what is socially acceptable now may not have been socially acceptable 50 years ago- e.g. being gay- used to be included in the DSM

• distinguishes between desirable and undesirable behaviour- takes into account the effect of behaviour on other people- identifies damaging behaviour

• some norms are bound by culture- focused on the west white and middle class

• breaking social/cultural norms is dependant on the situation - cannot offer a complete definition of mental health

what is failure to function

people are judged on their ability to cope with tasks in daily life

if they cant do this and are also experiencing distress then it is considered to be a sign of mental illness

give examples of failing to function

not being able to go about daily life- e.g. eating, washing clothes, going to work, being able to communicate

what categories does the DSM consider for failure to function

• understanding and communicating

• getting around

• self care

• getting along with other people

• life activities

• participation in society

individuals rated on a scale of 1-5 and given an overall score out of 180

describe statistical infrequency in terms of mental health

scores that fall into groups over two standard deviations from the mean in a normally distributed population can be seen as mental illness

what are the limitations of failure to function

• who judges it? - individual may notice their inability to function, or they may be content with their life- so judgement is dependant is subjective

• doesn’t consider alternative lifestyles- e.g. some people don’t engage with mainstream society - e.g. digital nomads- may be seen as failing to function

• cultural relativism

what are the strengths of failure to function

subjective experience is recognised

allows us to view mental health from the point of view of the person experiencing it

what are the limitations of using statistical infrequency

• some rare behaviours are desirable- e.g. abnormally high IQ

• cut off point is subjective- decision must be made of what constitutes common and rare behaviours

• cultural relativism- e.g. hearing voices could be seen as schizophrenia or. could be a common experience in some cultures

what are the strengths of using statistical infrequency

sometimes appropriate- e.g. for intellectual disability