Psych unit AOS 1 chapter 3

Supporting psych development- mental disorders.

Typical behaviour

typical behaviour

 is behaviour that would ‘typically’ occur, and is appropriate and expected in a given situation.

atypical behaviour

atypical behaviour is behaviour that is not typical — it differs in some way from what is expected in a given situation.

What is the psychological criteria for categorising behaviour? (Image)

Social Norms, Psychological criteria, Statistical rarity, Maladaptive behaviour, Personal Distress, Statistical rarity. S.C.S.P.M.

Social norms

uSocial norms

 are widely held standards that govern what people should and should not do in different situations, especially in relation to others.

Benefits of social norms

Acts as a baseline to compare behaviours to, allowing relatively easy identification of atypicality. 

Limitations of social norms

Social norms can depend on situations or contexts that we find ourselves in. Therefore, when using social norms as a criterion to classify behaviour it is important to take external factors into account, which can require effort. 

Cultural perspectives

Cultural perspectives

Cultural perspectives are the influence of society and community on one’s thoughts. Cultural perspectives involve the awareness of: 

different customs, beliefs, and traditions 

different rules and etiquette 

attitudes towards the importance of mental health

Strengths of cultural contexts

Enables different cultural contexts to be taken into account. 

Limitations of cultural contexts

Cultural perspectives can allow for a collective evaluation of a behaviour rather than an individual evaluation. 

Statistical rarity

Statistical rarity

Statistical rarity is something that lies outside the range of statistical normality and is also unusual enough to be considered significant. 

Strengths of Statistical Rarity

Provides an objective perspective, allowing for a more accurate way to categorise behaviours as typical or atypical. 

Statistical rarities

Not all statistical rarities are damaging or negative. 

Can be difficult to understand and apply to an abstract concept, such as behaviour, possibly leading to a miscategorisation. 

Personal Distress

Personal distress is a strong, natural emotional response to certain events.

uIf it’s a reasonable reaction and fits cultural norms, it’s seen as typical.

But if it’s intense, long-lasting, and affects daily functioning, it may be considered atypical and concerning

Strengths of Personal Distress

Can be used as an indicator when cultural, social, and statistical measures are not applicable or appropriate.

 

Can provide a visual indication that someone is behaving in a way that is uncommon for them, allowing for easier categorisation. 

Limitations of personal distress

Some individuals may conceal personal distress, causing difficulty in identifying atypical behaviours. 

E.g. an individual who prefers to be private about their emotions may suppress their personal distress and try to disguise their behaviour as usual. This can then make it hard for others to realise that the individual is in distress and behaving atypically. 

Adaptive behaviour

 Adaptive behaviour is any behaviour that enables the individual to adjust to the environment appropriately and effectively.

Maladaptive behaviour

Maladaptive behaviour is any behaviour that is detrimental, counterproductive or otherwise interferes with the individual’s ability to successfully adjust  (‘adapt’) to the environment and fulfil their typical roles in society.

Strengths of Maladaptive behaviour

Enables the consideration of the consequences of behaviour. 

Limitations of Maladaptive Behaviour

 

What is considered maladaptive is subjective and can change depending on who is judging the behaviour. 

What is normality

Normality is psychological and behavioural characteristics that enable a person to perform everyday tasks and fulfill societal roles. It includes freedom from disabling thoughts/feelings, organised thinking, coping abilities, and absence of mental health disorder symptoms.

Abnormality

 Abnormality- any deviation from what is considered normal, typical, usual or healthy.

Neurotypicality 

uNeurotypicality is used to describe people whose neurological development and cognitive functioning are typical, conforming to what most people would consider to be normal in the general population.

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is used to describe people whose neurological development and cognitive functioning are atypical and therefore deviate from what is considered typical or normal in the population.

Intellectual disability

Intellectual disability is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by mild to profound limitations in cognitive abilities and in skills required to function independently in everyday life

Neurodivergence

is an umbrella term that covers all psychological disorders involving some kind of neurological disturbance due to either hereditary influences, environmental influences or a combination of both.

Autism

is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the way people communicate and interact with others and the world.

Social Interaction in Autism

Autistic individuals often show limited response to social interaction, reduced initiation of play, infrequent eye contact, and may not engage in typical interactive play.

Social Communication in Autism

Delayed speech, limited language, reduced facial expressions, unusual tone (monotone), and repetitive language, affecting interaction and expression. Hard to understand and use verbal and nonverbal communication cues.

Need for Routine and Sameness in Autism

Autistic individuals exhibit a strong need for routine and sameness, resisting even minor changes, which can lead to maladaptive behaviors impacting daily life to varying degrees..

A spectrum

A spectrum is used to represent the position of something on a scale between two extreme points.

Risks and contributing factors of Autism

Autism's causes are linked to brain development changes, involving biological factors like genetics and chemical changes, as well as psychological and social factors.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A disorder involving a persistent pattern of inattention, and/or hyperactive-impulsive behaviour that adversely affects development or everyday functioning.

Inattention associated with ADHD

Inattention associated with ADHD means that the individual has significant difficulty maintaining their attention on tasks that do not provide a high level of stimulation or are frequently rewarding in some way.

ADHD Symptoms

utrouble holding their attention when performing daily tasks such as basic chores, schoolwork and even when watching TV, using social media or playing a game.

uThey often fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities. Regardless of age, they often do not seem to listen when spoken to directly.

Hyperactivity

Hyperactivity refers to excessive motor activity and difficulties with remaining still, most evident in structured situations that require behavioural self-control.

Impulsivity

Impulsivity is a tendency to act on the spur of the moment in response to immediate stimuli, without a plan or consideration of the outcomes. Impulsive people act before they think.

How long can inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity so on for before ADHD is diagnosed?

The pattern of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity must be present for at least six months and have caused impairment in everyday social and school or work settings before a diagnosis of ADHD is given.

Causes and Factors of ADHD

ADHD arises from a mix of genetic and environmental factors, affecting brain development, neurotransmitters, and sensory processing

Disability

Disability is any impairment that makes it significantly more difficult for a person to undertake everyday activities.

A disability 

is any disorder that impairs learning and results in the person learning with greater difficulty than a person without the disorder.

A learning disability

is long-term and ongoing, while a learning difficulty is usually short-term and can change with circumstances.

Dyslexia

is a learning disability characterised by significant difficulties with accurate and fluent word reading, spelling and writing words.

Developmental dyslexia

is present from birth and lifelong, while acquired dyslexia (or alexia) results from brain injury or damage.

Dyscalculia 

is a condition that affects the ability to acquire mathematical concepts and skills.

Dyspraxia

is a condition that affects physical coordination and sometimes speech. It can be developmental (present from childhood) or acquired (due to brain injury or neurological conditions).

A psychiatrist

 is a qualified medical doctor

Other Mental Health Workers

Mental health workers have qualifications in social work, nursing, or counseling; some handle admin/policy, provide support and care with psychologists/psychiatrists leading teams.

Assessment

involves collecting and interpreting information about how a person, thinks, feels and behaves in order to make a diagnosis so that appropriate treatment can be provided.

Diagnosis

is the process of identifying the type of disorder affecting an individual on the basis of its signs and symptoms, through the use of assessment techniques and other available evidence. 

The DSM provides a system for classifying and diagnosing mental disorders based on recognisable signs and symptoms.

Diagnostic criteria

include signs and symptoms that help identify a particular disorder.

What do you need to meet diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder

To meet diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder, there must be evidence of restricted and repetitive behaviours/interests, such as repetitive actions/speech, need for routine, intense interests, and unusual sensory responses.

For an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis:

ASD diagnosis requires early-onset symptoms impacting daily life, not better explained by other conditions; if co-occurring with intellectual disability, social communication must be below developmental level.

Categorical approach

The categorical approach

, used in the DSM, classifies mental disorders by placing symptoms into specific categories

Dimensional approach

views symptoms along a continuum, focusing on how much a person is affected rather than whether they meet strict criteria

Labelling

is used in mental health to describe the process of classifying an individual according to a specific diagnostic category.

Stigma

social disapproval or disgrace.

Social stigma

involves negative community attitudes, leading to fear, exclusion, and discrimination against those with mental disorders.

Self-stigma

happens when a person internalises these negative views, leading to low self-esteem