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Psychological Disorders > Introduction to Psychological Disorders

Introduction to Psychological Disorders

Definition of Abnormal: The Challenge in Defining "Normal"


Classifying Abnormal Behavior: Introducing the DSM
Explaining Abnormal Behavior
Social Issues in Diagnosis

Psychological Disorders > Introduction to Psychological Disorders

Definition of Abnormal: The Challenge in Defining "Normal"


Definitions of normality vary by person, time, place, culture, and situation;
"normal" changes with societal standards and norms.Normal behavior is often
only recognized in contrast to what is not normal or abnormal.
In very crude terms, normality is seen as good, while abnormality is seen as
bad.Therefore, someone being called "<em>normal</em>" or
"<em>abnormal</em>" can have social ramifications, including exclusion or
stigmatization by society.
The most comprehensive attempt to distinguish normality from abnormality
comes from clinical psychology, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(DSM).The DSM shows how normality depends on situation, has changed
throughout history and how it often involves value judgments.
The DSM explicitly distinguishes mental disorders and non-disordered
conditions.A non-disordered condition results from, and is perpetuated by, social
stressors.
When people do not conform to what is perceived as normal, they are often given
a number of negative labels, including unusual, sick, or disabled.These labels
can lead to that individual being marginalized, or stigmatized.

Psychological Disorders > Introduction to Psychological Disorders

Classifying Abnormal Behavior: Introducing the DSM


The DSM is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health
professionals in the United States and contains lists of diagnostic criteria for
every psychiatric disorder recognized by the U.S. healthcare system.
The DSM has been revised six times since the initial writing of the DSM-I (DSMII, III, III-Revised, IV, IV-Text Revision, and V).One of the most important
organizational changes was with the Text Revision of the DSM-IV (DSM-IV-TR),
when it was organized into a five-part axial system.
The five axis system: (I) incorporated clinical disorders, (II) covered personality
disorders and intellectual disabilities, (III, IV and IV) covered medical,
psychosocial, environmental, and childhood factors functionally necessary to
provide diagnostic criteria for health care assessments.
Pros of the DSM: It helps develop evidence-based treatments, it affords
consistency among clinicians and other health care providers, and it is a holistic
approach.
Cons of the DSM: Concerns about the reliability and validity of the diagnoses;
diagnoses based on superficial symptoms rather than underlying causes; a
distinct cultural bias; and conflict of interest in category development, i.e., with
drug companies and financial interests.

Psychological Disorders > Introduction to Psychological Disorders

Explaining Abnormal Behavior


Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns
of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not underlie a mental
disorder.Though many behaviors are considered abnormal, the field of abnormal
psychology attempts to identify clinically deviant behavior.
Deviant behavior and mental disorders often occur simultaneously and may be
difficult to distinguish from one another without looking at underlying
mechanisms.While not all people who exhibit deviant behavior are mentally ill,
nearly all individuals with mental disorders are considered deviant.
A mental disorder is a mental or behavioral pattern or anomaly that causes
distress or disability, and which is not developmentally or socially
normative.Mental disorders are generally defined by a combination of how a
person feels, acts, thinks or perceives.
Deviance describes actions or behaviors that violate social norms, including
formally enacted rules and laws.Deviant behavior does not necessarily implicate
mental illness, and does not impair normal functioning.

Theft as a Deviant Behavior

Psychological Disorders > Introduction to Psychological Disorders

Social Issues in Diagnosis


Many people experience mental illness at some point in their life, so it is
important to analyze the societal consequences of diagnosis.Stigma and
discrimination can add to the suffering and disability associated with mental
disorders (with being diagnosed or judged as having a mental disorder).
Individuals with mental illness experience obstacles in obtaining employment and
leading fulfilling lives.People labeled mentally ill are less likely to benefit from the
depth and breadth of available physical health care services than people without
these illnesses.
Stigmatization of mental illness can have dire, wide-reaching consequences for
individuals, their family's, and all sufferers of mental illness.They may refuse
treatment, refuse any social participation, and may propagate a wider disbelief in
the existence of mental illness at all.

Psychological Disorders

Key terms
cognitive-behavioral therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that addresses dysfunctional
emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic process.
comorbidity The presence of one or more disorders (or diseases) in addition to a primary disease or disorder.
cultural norm A group-held belief about how members should behave in a given social context.
cultural norms group-held beliefs about how members should behave in a given context.
deviant Of or pertaining to a deviation; characterized by diverging or straying from an expectation or a social standard.
mental disorder Any of the various diseases affecting the mind onset by brain damage or genetics; disorders are defined in the
Diagonstic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
neurosis A mental disorder, less severe than psychosis, marked by anxiety or fear
pathology Any deviation from a healthy or normal condition; abnormality.
psychodynamic An approach to psychology that emphasizes systematic study of the psychological forces that underlie human
behavior, feelings, and emotions and how they might relate to early experience.
psychosis A severe mental disorder, sometimes with physical damage to the brain, marked by a deranged personality and a
distorted view of reality.
stigma A mark of infamy or disgrace. Stigma sets people apart from others and connects the labeled individual to undesirable
characteristics.
stressor An environmental condition or influence that stresses (i.e. causes stress for) an organism.

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DSM Changes Over Time


This figure demonstrates how one diagnosis, that for Autism, has changed with each version since the creation of the DSM in 1952.

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What is the biggest challenge in defining "normal"?

A) All of these.

B) Definitions of normality vary by person, place, culture and situation.

C) The DSM changes over time as cultural norms change.


D) By creating a definition of what "normal" is, those who are labeled as
"abnormal" are stigmatized.

Psychological Disorders

What is the biggest challenge in defining "normal"?

A) All of these.

B) Definitions of normality vary by person, place, culture and situation.

C) The DSM changes over time as cultural norms change.


D) By creating a definition of what "normal" is, those who are labeled as
"abnormal" are stigmatized.

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In what way do DSM diagnoses limit our understanding of mental


illness?
A) Diagnostic labels can be stigmatizing for patients by creating
stereotypes about certain diagnoses.
B) Diagnoses are imperfect, as evidenced by the amount of comorbidity
between disorders.
C) Diagnoses are based on symptoms rather than underlying causes, so
cures are difficult to obtain.
D) All of these answers.

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Psychological Disorders

In what way do DSM diagnoses limit our understanding of mental


illness?
A) Diagnostic labels can be stigmatizing for patients by creating
stereotypes about certain diagnoses.
B) Diagnoses are imperfect, as evidenced by the amount of comorbidity
between disorders.
C) Diagnoses are based on symptoms rather than underlying causes, so
cures are difficult to obtain.
D) All of these answers.

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Which version of the DSM created the five-part axial diagnosis


system?
A) DSM-IV

B) DSM-V

C) DSM-IV-TR

D) DSM-I

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Psychological Disorders

Which version of the DSM created the five-part axial diagnosis


system?
A) DSM-IV

B) DSM-V

C) DSM-IV-TR

D) DSM-I

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Psychological Disorders

Which of the following is an example of deviant behavior that is


not necessarily indicative of a mental disorder?
A) Dysthymia.

B) Shoplifting.

C) Thought disorder.

D) Anorexia.

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Psychological Disorders

Which of the following is an example of deviant behavior that is


not necessarily indicative of a mental disorder?
A) Dysthymia.

B) Shoplifting.

C) Thought disorder.

D) Anorexia.

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Boundless - LO. "Boundless." CC BY-SA 3.0 http://www.boundless.com/

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What has research found regarding the effect of interpersonal


contact and attitudes towards individuals with mental illness?
A) People who have greater contact with the mentally ill have more
positive attitudes towards them.
B) People with more contact with mental illness perceive it more
mindlessly and, thus, as less deviant.
C) People with less contact with mental illness underestimate the amount
of victimization they endure.
D) People with more contact with the mentally ill have more negative
attitudes towards them.

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Psychological Disorders

What has research found regarding the effect of interpersonal


contact and attitudes towards individuals with mental illness?
A) People who have greater contact with the mentally ill have more
positive attitudes towards them.
B) People with more contact with mental illness perceive it more
mindlessly and, thus, as less deviant.
C) People with less contact with mental illness underestimate the amount
of victimization they endure.
D) People with more contact with the mentally ill have more negative
attitudes towards them.

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Boundless - LO. "Boundless." CC BY-SA 3.0 http://www.boundless.com/

Psychological Disorders

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of labeling mental


illness?
A) People may feel more comfortable interacting with individuals with
mental illness.
B) People with mental illness may refuse to receive treatment.
C) People may avoid socializing, employing or working with individuals
with mental illness.
D) People may stop believing that mental disorders are real conditions
that are treatable.

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Psychological Disorders

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of labeling mental


illness?
A) People may feel more comfortable interacting with individuals with
mental illness.
B) People with mental illness may refuse to receive treatment.
C) People may avoid socializing, employing or working with individuals
with mental illness.
D) People may stop believing that mental disorders are real conditions
that are treatable.

Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at www.boundless.com
Boundless - LO. "Boundless." CC BY-SA 3.0 http://www.boundless.com/

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