Psychology on Abnormal Behavior

Abnormal Behavior

• Abnormality is defined as behavior falling outside societal norms, which can vary across cultures and time.
• Abnormality can be harmful or even helpful (like extreme sports)
• Seven criteria for establishing abnormality (Rosenhan and Seligman, 1989): suffering, maladaptiveness, unconventional behavior, loss of control, irrationality, observer discomfort, and violation of moral standards.
• Abnormal behavior can sometimes be adaptive, even if not typical.(ex: high intelligence)
• In the 1950s, humanist psychologists emphasized positive mental health, not just the absence of illness.
• Jahoda (1958) outlined six traits of ideal mental health: self-awareness, realistic self-esteem, self-control, accurate perception of the world, healthy relationships, and independence/productivity.

Defining Abnormality as Statistical Infrequency

• A behavior or trait is considered abnormal if it's very rare, statistically infrequent.
• A person deviating from the norm, (e.g., 95% of the population) is considered outside the "normal" range.
• Statistical norms can change and sometimes statistically infrequent behavior can be positive (e.g., high IQ).

The Medical Model of Abnormality

• Disorders are studied by examining their symptoms.
• Doctors collaborate to understand disorders over time.
• Symptoms are used to guess, rather than definitively prove, causality of disorders.
• This model allows for flexibility in diagnosis, regardless of cause assumptions.

Clinical and Patient Bias

• Clinicians' background and beliefs can influence diagnosis and treatment (Langweiler & Linden, 1993).
• Biases in reporting can affect how often disorders are outwardly presented (e.g., a specific phobia)
• Clinician variables (abilities, such as empathy and self-reflection).
• Cognitive biases (such as confirmation bias) influence clinical assessments.
• Patient variables (e.g., cultural differences in symptom expression or willingness to share issues) affect diagnosis.

Reporting Bias

• People may be less likely to seek help for mental health issues if they believe they don't have a problem.
• Symptoms, or perceived symptoms, may or may not be reported to a health practitioner.
• Cultural differences in the perception of help-seeking behaviors can impact how often issues are reported.
• Reporting bias can make a particular mental illness or disorder seem less common than it actually is.

Somatization

• Mental health issues are sometimes expressed as physical symptoms.
• Cultural differences influence how medical professionals perceive and treat mental health issues (Kleinman, 1982).
• This can cause a particular disorder or mental illness to seem less common than it actually is.

Vocabulary (Abnormal Psychology)

• Prevalence: the proportion of a population with a condition at a specific time (includes new and existing cases).
• Incidence: the number of new cases of a condition within a specific population over a specific period.

Diagnosis

• The process of identifying a disease or mental disorder based on symptoms and assessment methods
• Classifies disorder symptoms into groups
• Mental health professionals use standardized diagnostic systems (e.g DSM-5).

Etiology

• Studying the causes of mental disorders, considering internal (e.g., genetics), environmental(e.g. experiences), and biopsychosocial factors.

Comorbidity

• Presence of two or more disorders simultaneously, often increasing the difficulty of treatment.
• Significantly impacts medical expenditures (e.g., 80% of Medicare spending).

Prognosis

• A prediction about the likely outcome or course of a disease.
• Helps in treatment planning and patient support.

Risk Factors

• Aspects of a person's life that may increase the chances of experiencing mental health issues.

Anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

• Characterized by excessive worry, difficulty controlling worry, and related symptoms for 6 months or more.
• Distress and impairment can result if left untreated.

Specific Phobia

• Marked fear of an object or situation.
• The feared object or situation evokes immediate fear or anxiety.
• Phobias cause sufferers to avoid certain situations or objects due to anxiety or distress.
• The feared object or situation causes significant anxiety or distress (out of proportion to the actual threat posed).

Social Anxiety

• Marked fear of social situations where scrutiny by others is possible.
• Social interactions, being observed, or performing in public commonly trigger fear or distress.
• The individual fears negative evaluation by others during social situations.
• Avoidances or endures anxious encounters intensely.

Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

• Biological treatments: primarily involve medications like SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors).
• Psychological Treatments: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) aims to manage thoughts and behaviors associated with anxiety.

Benzodiazepines

• These medications make the nervous system less active/calm.
• They increase the neurotransmitter GABA.
• Commonly classified as controlled substances.
• Abrupt cessation can be dangerous.

Beta-blockers

• These medications directly target symptoms, such as physical symptoms, helping with quick symptom relief.
• Effective when physical symptoms are dominant, but not for the underlying causes of anxiety.