Chapter 1

Defining Abnormality

  • Continuum Model of Abnormality

    • Abnormality is not a clear-cut concept but exists on a spectrum from normal to abnormal.

    • No absolute dividing line; subjective judgments play a role.

  • Psychopathology

    • Focuses on the study of mental, emotional, and physical pain.

Mental Illness

  • Common Beliefs

    • Behaviors and thoughts can be pathological.

  • Modern View

    • Mental illness consists of issues in:

    • Cognition (thinking)

    • Emotional regulation and responding

    • Social behavior

Cultural Norms

  • Cultural norms play a crucial role in defining abnormality.

  • Key Aspects:

    • Societies have strong norms dictating acceptable behaviors.

    • Gender roles and cultural relativism influence perceptions of abnormality.

    • Cultural norms affect how symptoms are expressed, willingness to admit to certain behaviors, and the acceptance of specific treatments.

Four Ds of Abnormality

  • Dysfunction: Interference in daily functioning.

  • Distress: Emotional or physical pain experienced by the individual.

  • Deviance: Behavior that deviates from societal norms, leading to judgments of abnormality.

  • Dangerousness: Potential harm to the individual or others.

Historical Perspectives on Abnormality

  • Biological Theories: Link abnormal behavior to physiological issues in the body.

  • Supernatural Theories: Attribute abnormal behavior to supernatural causes like divine interventions or demonic possessions.

  • Psychological Theories: Associate abnormal behavior with psychological traumas or chronic stress.

Ancient and Medieval Theories

  • Ancient Theories:

    • Prehistoric: Exorcism, trephination to release evil spirits.

    • Ancient China: Balance of Yin and Yang effects on emotions.

    • Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Events attributed to humoral imbalances.

  • Medieval Perspectives: Influenced by traumas and fears including witchcraft and psychic epidemics.

Moral Treatment Movement (18th and 19th centuries)

  • Advocated humane treatment for mental illness, emphasizing connection to nature for mental well-being.

  • However, there were significant failures as many patients remained impaired or deteriorated further.

Biological Perspectives

  • Wilhelm Griesinger: Proposed psychological disorders were rooted in brain pathology.

  • Emil Kraepelin: Classified symptoms into disorders, this classification scheme persists.

  • Discovery of general paresis highlights the connection between physical and psychological illness.

Psychoanalytic Perspectives

  • Mesmerism: Focus on energy flow and animal magnetism for treatment.

  • Psychoanalysis: Emphasizes unconscious processes in influencing behavior.

Emergence of Modern Perspectives

  • Behaviorism: Studies conditioning in behaviors influenced by reinforcement.

  • Cognitions: How thought processes affect behavior and emotion, linked to self-efficacy beliefs.

Deinstitutionalization

  • Movement towards integrating patients into the community with supported services.

  • Advocated by the Patients' Rights Movement for better recovery and living conditions.

  • Community Mental Health Movement: Aimed to provide comprehensive mental health care in community settings.

Community Mental Health Centers

  • Types of facilities:

    • Halfway Houses: Structured support for long-term mental health issues.

    • Day Treatment Centers: Offer treatments and therapies during the day while allowing patients to return home at night.

Managed Care

  • Coordination methods for mental health care that vary from monitoring to total control of service provision and cost.

Professions Within Abnormal Psychology

  • Key mental health professionals include:

    • Psychiatrists

    • Clinical psychologists

    • Marriage and family therapists

    • Clinical social workers

    • Licensed mental health counselors

    • Psychiatric nurses