Psychological Disorders Overview

Study Notes

Psychological Disorders Overview

Conditions characterized by abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Psychopathology involves studying symptoms, causes (etiology), and treatments of psychological disorders.
Identifying abnormal behavior requires agreement among mental health professionals.
Behavior patterns can indicate psychological disturbance versus situational, idiosyncratic, or unconventional responses.

Defining Psychological Disorders

Psychological disorders often have atypical, distressful, dysfunctional, or dangerous behaviors.
Atypical behavior does not automatically indicate a disorder; for example, having red hair is atypical but not disordered.
Cultural expectations play a significant role in determining what is considered disordered behavior.

Cultural Influence on Disorders

Behaviors violating cultural norms may not necessarily indicate a disorder.
Social norms differ globally; for instance, smiling at strangers is expected in the U.S. but not in Japan.
Hallucinations could be perceived as disordered in Western cultures but may be accepted and valued in others.

The Myth of Mental Illness

Criticism of the mental illness concept gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s.
Thomas Szasz argued that mental illnesses are societal constructs that stigmatize those who deviate from social norms.
Symptoms of mental illness should be viewed as "problems in living" rather than genuine illness.
Szasz challenged the classification of homosexuality as a mental illness, contributing to more significant social and legal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Harmful Dysfunction Model

Wakefield's model defines psychological disorder as a "harmful dysfunction" within internal mechanisms.
Psychological processes must perform specific functions, and dysfunction occurs when these processes fail.
Dysfunctions lead to negative effects on individual functioning, such as anxiety, depression, or impairments in daily life.
Example: An extreme fear of spiders may signify a dysfunctional response to an appropriate learning process.

APA Definition of Psychological Disorder

APA defines psychological disorder as involving significant disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Such disturbances are linked to biological, psychological, or developmental dysfunctions.
Psychological disorders cause significant distress or functional impairment in daily life.
Disturbances must not reflect culturally expected reactions; for example, sadness after a death is culturally normalized.
There is no universally accepted definition or criteria that can distinctly categorize psychological disorders from non-disorders.

Description

This quiz explores the definition and characteristics of psychological disorders, including their symptoms, causes, and treatments. It focuses on the field of psychopathology and aims to provide a clearer understanding of mental health conditions.