Definition Of Normality And Abnormality PDF

Definition of Normality and Abnormality  Psychological disorder or Abnormal behavior – it is a psychological dysfunction within an individual that is associated with distress or impairment in functioning and a response that is not...

Definition of Normality and Abnormality  Psychological disorder or Abnormal behavior – it is a psychological dysfunction within an individual that is associated with distress or impairment in functioning and a response that is not typical or culturally expected. 1. Psychological Dysfunction – refers to a breakdown in cognitive, emotional or behavioral functioning. 2. Personal Distress – a person’s behavior may be classified as disordered if it causes him or her great distress. 3. Danger – consistently careless, hostile, or confused may be placing themselves or those around them at risk. 4. Violation of social norms (Deviant) – these are abnormal behavior, thoughts and emotions that differ markedly from a society’s ideas about proper functioning.  Psychopathology – scientific study of psychological disorder. Presenting problem or “presents” – is the first step in determining one’s clinical description.; why the person came to the clinic. Prevalence – the number of people in the population as a whole who have a disorder. Incidence – the new cases occurring during a given period of time, such as year. Chronic course – they tend to last a long time, sometimes lifetime. Episodic course – the individual is likely to recover within a few months only to suffer a recurrence of the disorder at a later time. Time-limited course – disorder will improve without treatment in a relatively short period.  Acute onset – meaning they begin suddenly. Insidious onset – develop gradually over an extended period. Prognosis – the anticipated course of a disorder. Etiology – the study of origins, it has to do with why a disorder begins (what causes it) and includes biological, psychological, and social dimensions.  Brief History of Abnormal Behavior 1. Supernatural Tradition Abnormal behavior is attributed to agents outside our bodies or social environments, such as demons, spirits, or the influence of the moons and stars. Treatments included exorcism. Mass Hysteria. It is another phenomenon characterized by large scale outbreaks of bizarre behavior. In modern times, it may simply demonstrate the phenomenon of emotion contagion – mob psychology. 2. Biological Tradition Disorders are attributed to disease or biochemical imbalances. Hippocrates & Galen: Humoral theory of disorders. Hippocrates also coined hysteria, what we now call somatic symptom disorders. Syphilis. A sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterial microorganism entering the brain, include believing that everyone is plotting against you (delusion).  Biological treatments typically emphasize physical care and search for medical cures. 3. Psychological Tradition Abnormal behavior is attributed to faulty psychological development and social context. Psychosocial treatment. The approaches to the causation of psychopathology which focus not only on psychological factors but also on social and cultural ones as well. Moral therapy. This is more to emotional or psychological factors rather than to a code of conduct – humane treatment. Mental hygiene movement. They improve the standards of care including the homeless, as proposed by Dorothea Dix. Different schools of thought had emerged: Psychoanalysis by Freud & Behaviorism by Watson.