Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal Psychology: study of behavior & mental processes connected with

emotional distress or impairment in functioning

Historical Perspectives on Historical Perspectives on Abnormal Behavior – Old Beliefs Abnormal Behavior – Old Beliefs

• Perceived Causes Perceived Causes – Movements of sun or moon Movements of sun or moon

(lunacy = full moon)(lunacy = full moon)– Evil spirits, demonic possessionEvil spirits, demonic possession

• Ancient TreatmentsAncient Treatments– Exorcism, caged like animals, Exorcism, caged like animals,

beaten/burned, castrated, mutilated, beaten/burned, castrated, mutilated, blood replaced with animal’s blood, blood replaced with animal’s blood, trepheningtrephening

Historical Perspectives on Historical Perspectives on Abnormal Behavior Abnormal Behavior

• In the 1800s, disturbed people no In the 1800s, disturbed people no longer thought of as “madmen” but longer thought of as “madmen” but as “mentally ill”as “mentally ill”

• Early mental hospitalsEarly mental hospitals– Barbaric prisonsBarbaric prisons– Patients chained & locked awayPatients chained & locked away– Charged admission to see “crazies” Charged admission to see “crazies”

Historical Perspectives on Historical Perspectives on Abnormal Behavior – 18Abnormal Behavior – 18thth & 19 & 19thth

CenturiesCenturies• Philippe Pinel (France)Philippe Pinel (France)

– Compassionate model for treatment – humane Compassionate model for treatment – humane hospital in Parishospital in Paris

• William Tuke (England)William Tuke (England)– Trained nurses for Trained nurses for

mentally ill, change mentally ill, change public attitudespublic attitudes

• Benjamin Rush (U.S.)Benjamin Rush (U.S.)– Founder of American Founder of American

psychiatrypsychiatry– Encouraged humane treatment, establishment of Encouraged humane treatment, establishment of

hospitalshospitals

It’s All a Matter of Degree

Epidemiology v. Etiology • Epidemiology is the study of diseases in

populations of humans or other animals, specifically how, when and where they occur.– Epidemiological studies can never prove

causation– Incidence = new cases of a condition

which occur during a specified period– Prevalence = cases (both new and

existing) of a condition observed at a point in time or during a period of time.

• Etiology is the study of the origins and causes of disease

Rosenhan’s “Labeling” Study• How does being “labeled” affect one’s

treatment by others?• Had 7 confederates admitted to mental

hospitals, labeled as schizophrenic• The confederates were told not to show

any unusual behaviors at all, but be completely normal

• Normal events/behaviors were perceived as irregular and abnormal by hospital staff

• Rosenhan reasoned that labels were so powerful that they profoundly affected the way information was processed & perceived

What is “Abnormal”?What is “Abnormal”?

• Maladaptive or harmful to individualMaladaptive or harmful to individual• Disturbing to othersDisturbing to others• Atypical or uncommon Atypical or uncommon • Unjustifiable – does not Unjustifiable – does not

make sense, irrationalmake sense, irrational

Psych disorders must cause significant Psych disorders must cause significant personal distress personal distress and impair the and impair the ability to ability to function in one or more areas of lifefunction in one or more areas of life

Psychological Disorders- Psychological Disorders- EtiologyEtiology

• Neurotic disorderNeurotic disorder (term seldom used now) (term seldom used now)– usually distressing but that allows one to usually distressing but that allows one to

think rationally think rationally – Freud saw the neurotic disorders as ways Freud saw the neurotic disorders as ways

of dealing with anxietyof dealing with anxiety• Psychotic disorderPsychotic disorder

– person loses contact with realityperson loses contact with reality– experiences irrational ideas and distorted experiences irrational ideas and distorted

perceptionsperceptions

Psychological Disorders- EtiologyPsychological Disorders- Etiology

• Organic Mental Disorder: Organic Mental Disorder: mental or mental or emotional problem caused by brain emotional problem caused by brain pathology (injury, disease)pathology (injury, disease)

• Substance Related Disorders: Substance Related Disorders: abuse or abuse or dependence on a mind- or mood-altering dependence on a mind- or mood-altering drug, like alcohol or cocainedrug, like alcohol or cocaine– Person cannot stop using the substance & suffer Person cannot stop using the substance & suffer

withdrawal symptoms of they dowithdrawal symptoms of they do

How are psychological disorders How are psychological disorders diagnosed?diagnosed?

• Interviews, self-reportsInterviews, self-reports• Diagnostic and Statistical Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Mental Disorders, 4Manual of Mental Disorders, 4thth Ed.Ed.

known as known as DSM-IVDSM-IV• Published by the American Published by the American

Psychiatric AssociationPsychiatric Association• Provides set of criteria, but does Provides set of criteria, but does

NOT identify causes or NOT identify causes or treatmentstreatments

The DSM-IV defines symptoms & The DSM-IV defines symptoms & diagnoses using hierarchy (Five Axes)diagnoses using hierarchy (Five Axes)

Axis 1:Axis 1: Adult psychological disorders (depression, Adult psychological disorders (depression, schizophrenia, etc.)schizophrenia, etc.)

Axis 2:Axis 2: Developmental disorders (mental retardation, Developmental disorders (mental retardation, learning disability), personality disorderslearning disability), personality disorders

Axis 3:Axis 3: Medical conditions Medical conditions Axis 4:Axis 4: Social and environmental sources of stress Social and environmental sources of stress

(loss of job, death of loved one, divorce)(loss of job, death of loved one, divorce)Axis 5:Axis 5: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score

Scale ranges from 1 to 100Scale ranges from 1 to 100Score of 100 = unimpaired Score of 100 = unimpaired Score of 1 = severe dysfunctionScore of 1 = severe dysfunction

The DSM-IV defines symptoms & The DSM-IV defines symptoms & diagnoses using hierarchy (Five Axesdiagnoses using hierarchy (Five Axes))

Axis 1:Axis 1: Alcohol dependenceAlcohol dependence

Axis 2:Axis 2: Dependent personality disorder Dependent personality disorder

Axis 3:Axis 3: Diabetes Diabetes

Axis 4:Axis 4: Death of spouse, unemployment Death of spouse, unemployment

Axis 5: Axis 5: GAF = 60 (moderate symptoms, GAF = 60 (moderate symptoms, occasional panic attacks, difficulty in occasional panic attacks, difficulty in school/work/social functioning)school/work/social functioning)

PerspectivePerspective Causes of DisorderCauses of Disorder

BiologicalBiological

(Biomedical)(Biomedical)

PsychoanalytiPsychoanalyticc

HumanisticHumanistic

Organic problems (i.e. brain Organic problems (i.e. brain functioning), biochemical functioning), biochemical imbalances imbalances (neurotransmitters), heredity(neurotransmitters), heredity

Unconscious conflicts & Unconscious conflicts & impulses stemming from impulses stemming from childhoodchildhood

Failure to strive to one’s Failure to strive to one’s potential, out of touch with potential, out of touch with one’s feelingsone’s feelings

PerspectivePerspective Causes of DisorderCauses of Disorder

CognitiveCognitive

BehavioralBehavioral

(Learning)(Learning)

Sociocultural Sociocultural

Irrational, dysfunctional Irrational, dysfunctional thoughts or thought thoughts or thought processesprocesses

Abnormal behaviors are Abnormal behaviors are observed and/or reinforcedobserved and/or reinforced

Dysfunctional society (i.e. Dysfunctional society (i.e. society’s pressure to be thin society’s pressure to be thin or powerful, gender or powerful, gender socialization, etc.)socialization, etc.)

• DIATHESIS-STRESS MODEL – nature interacts with nurture in contributing to disorders

BiopsychosoBiopsychosocial Modelcial Model

Biological(Evolution, individual

genes, brain structures

and chemistry)

Psychological(Stress, trauma,

learned helplessness, mood-related perceptions

and memories)

Sociocultural(Roles, expectations, definition of normality

and disorder)

Assumes that biological, Assumes that biological, socio-cultural, and socio-cultural, and psychological factors psychological factors combine and interact to combine and interact to produce psychological produce psychological disordersdisorders

• Medical Model mental illness should be diagnosed & treated like a physical illness (biological, not under individual’s control/faked)

FYI: • Intern’s syndrome tendency to

see self as having symptoms & characteristics of disorder that one is learning

• Comorbidity disorders can occur together (depression is sometimes comorbid with an anxiety disorder)

Categories of Disorders• Anxiety • Somatoform• Dissociative• Mood• Personality• Schizophrenic• Sexual &

Gender Identity

• Eating• Substance Abuse• Etc.