Ab Psych - Prelims

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Behavior

Biological Theories

  • Abnormal behavior viewed similarly to physical diseases, caused by breakdown of body systems.

  • Restoration of bodily health considered appropriate cure.

  • Biological makeup potentially linked to behavioral issues.

Supernatural Theories

  • Abnormal behavior attributed to divine intervention, curses, demonic possession, and personal sin.

  • Religious rituals, exorcisms, confessions, and atonement prescribed as cures.

  • Closely associated with religious frameworks.

Psychological Theories

  • Focus on trauma (e.g., bereavement) and chronic stress as root causes of abnormal behavior.

  • Frameworks exist to explain personality and abnormal behaviors.

  • Rest, relaxation, environmental change, and herbal remedies may alleviate symptoms.

  • Brain plasticity: continual development of the brain; increased intelligence correlated with increased brain surface area.

  • Mental performance impacted by headspace; environment influences mental processes.

Demonology, Gods, and Magic

  • Early cultures (Chinese, Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks) frequently linked abnormal behavior to demon possession or gods.

  • Excitations and overactivity often interpreted as interventions by angry deities or evil spirits.

Hippocrates Early Medical Concepts

  • Hippocrates rejected supernatural explanations for mental disorders, advocating for natural causes.

  • Classified mental disorders into three categories: mania, melancholia, phrenitis (brain fever).

  • Identified four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, bile (choler), and black bile (melancholer).

Medieval Views

  • Middle Ages (400-1400 CE) characterized by supernatural theories of abnormal behavior.

  • Witchcraft accusations included confessions of unusual behaviors possibly stemming from delusions or hallucinations.

  • Mass Madness: collective behavioral phenomena such as dancing manias, tarantism, and lycanthropy.

Exorcism Treatments

  • Treatments included prayer, holy water, sanctified ointments, and exorcism rituals.

  • Early suggestions of supernatural beliefs in insanity as seen in ancient practices (e.g., trephination).

Ancient China: Balancing Yin and Yang

  • Ancient Chinese medicine emphasized balance between positive (yang) and negative (yin) forces for health.

  • Imbalance could lead to illness, including insanity.

Spread of Asylums

  • By the 11th-12th centuries, hospitals began separate facilities for the mentally ill, often inhumane conditions.

  • Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem in London, established in 1547, became notable for this practice.

Humanitarian Reform

  • Late 19th century saw advancements in anatomy, physiology, and neurology with a focus on biological causes of mental illness.

Key Figures

  • Philippe Pinel: Advocated for treating patients kindly and with dignity, leading to humane reforms in treatment practices.

  • Benjamin Rush: Promoted humane treatment in America; authored significant text on psychiatry.

  • Dorothea Dix: Spoke out against inhumane treatments leading to legislative reforms.

Cultural Concepts of Distress

Cultural Relativism

  • Views behaviors as abnormal only relative to cultural norms.

Culture-Bound Syndromes

  • New classifications: cultural idioms, explanations, syndromes refine understanding of cultural-specific symptoms.

Examples of Cultural Syndromes

  • Bangungot: Sudden nocturnal death linked to eerie dreams in Philippine folklore.

  • Amok: Sudden violent behavior in Malaysian cultures, thought to be caused by a spirit.

  • Latah Syndrome: Disturbances seen in specific cultural contexts.

Defining Abnormality

The Five D's of Abnormality

  1. Deviation: Straying from societal norms (e.g., talking to oneself).

  2. Distress: Unpleasant emotions impacting individuals.

  3. Dysfunction: Breakdown in personal functioning impeding daily life.

  4. Danger: Risk of harm to self or others.

  5. Duration: Time span symptoms are observed.

Social Stigma

Types of Stigma

  • Public Stigma: Discriminatory attitudes from society.

  • Self-Stigma: Internalized negative beliefs by those with mental illness.

  • Structural Stigma: Systemic discrimination through policies and insufficient resources.

Effects of Stigma

  • Leads to decreased hope, self-esteem, difficulty in social relationships, and reluctance to seek help.

Theoretical Perspectives on Abnormal Behavior

Psychodynamic Perspective

  • Focus on unconscious motives influencing behaviors through psychodynamics.

  • Freud's concepts of the Id, Ego, and Superego highlight internal conflicts.

Humanistic-Existential Perspective

  • Disorders arise through inability to fully experience living.

  • Emphasizes self-actualization and the role of personal perceptions.

Sociocultural Perspective

  • Emphasizes external social influences in shaping behavior.

  • Family dynamics viewed as critical in the development of psychological disorders.

Behavioral and Cognitive Perspectives

  • Focus on learned behaviors and maladaptive thoughts leading to abnormal actions.

  • Techniques used include conditioning and cognitive restructuring.

Assessment of Abnormal Behavior

Key Concepts in Assessment

  • Reliability: Consistency of a measurement.

  • Validity: Accurateness in measuring intended constructs.

  • Standardization: Consistency across different testing scenarios.

Methods of Assessment

  • Interviews, psychological tests, behavioral assessments, and mental status examinations employ varied techniques to gather diagnostic information.

Clinical Assessment Methods

The Clinical Interview

  • Core of assessment for collecting information about individual's history and current functioning.

Psychological Testing

  • Includes projective testing, personality inventories, and intelligence tests to evaluate psychological traits and disorders.

The DSM-5 Classification System

Overview

  • The DSM-5 provides diagnostic criteria across various disorders, encompassing criteria severity, duration, and differential diagnosis.

Categories of Disorders

  • Includes anxiety disorders, mood disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, trauma-related disorders, etc.

Philippine Psychology Act of 2009

  • Regulates psychological practice and established standards for education and licensure.

Key Points of the Act

  1. Establishment of a regulatory board for licensure and ethical standards.

  2. Scope of practice defines roles of psychologists and psychometricians.

Mental Health Act of 2018

  • Promotes access to mental health services in the Philippines, addressing stigma and improving societal attitudes.

Current Mental Health Concerns

  • COVID-19 exacerbated stress and mental health challenges, highlighting needs for effective mental health resources and legislation.