Diagnosis and Classification of Psychological Problems

Abnormal Behavior and Mental Illness

• Abnormal behavior is difficult to define as it lacks a single descriptive feature shared by all forms and no one criterion suffices.
• There is no clear boundary between normal and abnormal behavior.
• Common equated aspects of abnormal behavior: bizarre, dangerous, and shameful actions.
• Proposed definitions of abnormal behavior include:
  • Conformity to social norms.
  • Experience of subjective distress.
  • Disability or dysfunction in functioning.

The Case of Juanita L.

• Juanita, initially normal, exhibited significant behavioral changes in high school, including severe grooming and obsessive religious behavior.
• Her academic performance declined, and she began isolating herself while expressing strict moral judgments on peers.
• Juanita's actions drew concern from her parents, leading to psychiatric intervention and varied diagnoses such as schizophrenia.

Classification of Abnormal Behavior

• Conformity to Norms

  • Deviant behavior identified by statistical infrequency or violation of social norms.
  • Advantages include intuitive appeal and clear cutoff points; disadvantages involve subjective choice of cutoff points and cultural relativity.

• Subjective Distress

  • Focuses on individuals' feelings of happiness or fulfillment.
  • Advantages include self-assessment capacity; disadvantages highlight that not all disordered individuals report distress.

• Disability/Dysfunction

  • Identified by interpersonal or occupational issues in daily functioning.
  • Advantages include observable dysfunction prompting help-seeking; disadvantages include challenges in defining adequate functioning standards.

• Danger

  • Significance lies in the risk presented by an individual to themselves or others, though not all abnormal cases exhibit danger.

Key Points on Mental Illness

• Mental illness refers to a group of syndromes comprised of abnormal behaviors.
• The DSM-IV-TR defines mental disorders as clinically significant syndromes that lead to distress or functional impairment.
• Mental disorders must sustain a degree of dysfunction unrelated to culturally expected responses.

Importance of Diagnosis

• Diagnosis aids in communication among professionals and promotes empirical research.
• It facilitates a better understanding of etiology and directs effective treatment approaches.

DSM Overview

• Published by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM details psychological disorders and uses a multi-axial system to evaluate conditions.
• The latest version, DSM-5, simplifies to single-line diagnosis with specifiers.

Cause of Abnormality

• Classifications include biological, psychological, and sociocultural dimensions, with a biopsychosocial approach emphasizing their interactions.
• Biological causes encompass genetics, medical conditions, and environmental stimuli.
• Psychological causes involve distressing life events and cognitive distortions.

Explore the complexities of diagnosing and classifying psychological problems in this quiz. Delve into topics such as abnormal behavior, mental illness, and the various classification systems like DSM IV-TR, DSM V, and ICD. Understand the challenges in defining what constitutes abnormal behavior.