PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
No really, what is “Normal” besides a town that is
home to Illinois State University?
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
• WHAT IS ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR?
• Psychologists tend to agree on certain
criteria for a workable definition for
psychological disorders. Although there
will always be a continuum between
normal and abnormal, mental health and
mental illness, three criteria are often used
to judge severity of problem behaviors.
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
• All societies have their standards for
acceptable behavior. When one deviates
from typical behavior, a given society or
culture may label the person different or
abnormal. ATYPICAL BEHAVIOR or
unusual behavior that is also disturbing to
the values or beliefs of others is likely to
be considered deviant.
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
• An unusual behavior is more likely to be
seen as disordered when it is judged as
HARMFUL OR MALADAPTIVE. If one is
unable to adjust to society and function
effectively behavior may be considered
abnormal. Often it is a matter of degree.
Drinking alcohol becomes a problem when
the person is no longer able to function
well at home or one the job although the
person may deny he has a problem at all.
MALADAPTIVE
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
• PERSONAL DISTRESS is the third
common criteria. When one feels
psychological pain such as in depression
or debilitating anxiety as in a phobia the
level of distress becomes an important
criterion.
PERSONAL DISTRESS
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
• Although these three criteria of level of
deviance, maladaption and personal
distress are accepted criteria, one must
remember that diagnoses of psychological
disorders all involve VALUE
JUDGEMENTS and CULTURAL NORMS
about what is normal or abnormal. Both
are fallible and change with social trends.
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
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STATISTICAL APPROACH
PSYCHODYNAMIC MODEL
BEHAVIORAL MODEL
HUMANISTIC MODEL
COGNITIVE APPROACH
SOCIOCULTURAL MODEL OF
ABNORMALITY
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
• The STATISTICAL APPROACH defines normal
behavior by describing what the average person
does and abnormality as deviance from this
norm. Often a criterion is used of plus or minus
two standard deviations from the mean on any
behavior or standardized test. Problems with this
definition are that it equates "normality" with
conformity. Often deviation from the mean such
as a high intelligence quotient may actually be
desirable.
Normal Person
Normal Mayor, Chris Koos
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
• The PSYCHODYNAMIC MODEL views
abnormal behavior as the result of
unresolved psychological conflicts from
early childhood and from intrapsychic
conflict between instinctual selfish desires
of the id and the demands of the society
and personal conscience present in the
superego.
Unresolved Psychological Conflicts
From Early Childhood
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
• The BEHAVIORAL MODEL proposes that
disorders are caused by poor LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS that reinforce problematic
behaviors. To a behaviorist there is "no such
thing as an abnormal person, only a normal
person in an abnormal environment." SOCIAL
LEARNING theorists emphasize that society
often provides deviant maladaptive models that
children imitate. The key to modifying problem
behaviors lies in providing positive learning
experiences, healthy models to imitate and in
rewarding positive behaviors.
Deviant Maladaptive Models That
Children Imitate
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
• The HUMANISTIC MODEL proposes that we are
self-actualizing our potential. If our natural
growth toward self-fulfillment is blocked by
negative criticism and conditions of worth we
may develop a negative self-concept that
obstructs our growth and distorts our view of the
world. We may begin to withdraw emotionally
and lose touch with our inner self that longs to
self-actualize. Through unconditional positive
regard, empathy, acceptance and respect we
can rediscover our inner beauty and seek our
self-fulfillment.
Withdraw Emotionally And Lose
Touch With Our Inner Self
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
• The COGNITIVE APPROACH views abnormal behavior
as a result of distorted or irrational thinking. The
cognitive model asserts the psychological disorder is the
result of faulty thinking that leads to inappropriate and
self-defeating behavior. For example, Beck, a wellrespected cognitive therapist, believes depression is the
result of thinking negative and depressing thoughts
about life’s experiences and challenges patient’s ideas
about their illness, helping them to think more positively.
These thoughts become "automatic thoughts" and are
difficult to break.
Negative Thinking And Depressing
Thoughts
MODELS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
• The SOCIOCULTURAL MODEL OF
ABNORMALITY argues that abnormal behavior
is an attempt to adjust to an unjust mad world.
To sociocultural theorists it is society, not the
person, that is sick. They contend that we who
"adjust" to this "insane world" do so at the heavy
price of "conformity" to the madness around us
and a loss of our individuality. R.D. LAING
argues that it is we who conform to this age of
anxiety who are mad and it is the mentally ill
who are able to express their individuality.
Non-Conformists
Clarification of “Abnormal”
• Although not a prominent theory, the sociocultural theory
gives us pause. Perhaps "normality" is but a "half-crazed
adjustment to a crazy world." Perhaps the violence,
materialism, focus on superficial qualities, social ills, the
drug-craze are signs of social madness that we would be
wise to alienate ourselves from rather than try to conform
and fit into a "normal" box. Certainly the sociocultural
theory calls to question current psychiatric practices of
institutionalization and chemotherapy as the proper
"therapy" for those who do not choose to conform to
"normality". Many of our best-known artists, writers and
geniuses have been labeled "abnormal"
Abnormal
Clarification of “Abnormal”
• The LEGAL MODEL defines INSANITY as
a person who is not responsible for their
actions because they cannot understand
the difference between right and wrong. To
be declared "not guilty by reason of
insanity" the person must have a mental
illness that causes them to engage in the
criminal act.
INSANITY
Clarification of “Abnormal”
• The PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL
APPROACH views abnormal behavior as
due to underlying physiological
abnormalities in the nervous system and
particularly the brain. Recent research with
brain-imaging machines gives credence to
the approach as the brains for instance of
schizophrenics differ from normal brain
scans.
Brain-Imaging
Clarification of “Abnormal”
• The MEDICAL MODEL assumes that the
behavior disorder is caused by an
underlying illness. Just as when one has a
physical illness he goes to the doctor
explains his symptoms, the physician
makes a diagnosis and generally
prescribes medication. The medical model
also uses symptoms, diagnosis and
chemotherapy as the main steps in mental
illness treatment of mental illness.
MEDICAL MODEL
Clarification of “Abnormal”
• The American Psychiatric Association has
adopted a DIAGNOSTIC AND
STATISTICAL MANUAL (4th edition) {DSM
IV} to assist in the diagnosis of mental
illness. It lists the symptoms for each
"mental disorder" as well as the statistics
of occurrence in a population.
DSM IV
CHILDHOOD DISORDERS
• 37 diagnoses including mental retardation,
eating disorders, conduct disorder, autistic
disorder attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder, speech problems, enuresis and
highly aggressive behavior.
HYPERACTIVITY
Guinness The Crazy Maine Coon
COGNITIVE DISORDERS
• DELIRIUM, DEMENTIA, AMNESTIC AND
OTHER COGNITIVE DISORDERS of the brain
caused by drugs, toxins, aging or diseases.
Examples include Delirium (extreme mental
confusion), dementia (marked deterioration of
intellect) and Alzheimer's disease as well as
damage caused by ingestion of toxic substances
(lead, drugs). Psychological symptoms are
directly related to injury to the brain or its
biochemical environment.
DELIRIUM
PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDERS
• PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDERS include excessive use and
dependence on psychoactive drugs
including cocaine, amphetamines,
barbiturates, alcohol, heroin and other
drugs that alter perception, emotions
and/or behavior. Although controversial,
tobacco and marijuana are also included.
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
• Schizophrenia is characterized by three
common symptoms.
• Disorders of Thought - include disturbed content
including delusions and disorganization
including word salad and loose associations.
• Disorders of Perception – include hallucinations
or false or distorted perceptions
• Disorders of Emotion - inappropriate or odd
emotional responses, flat affect or inappropriate
tears, laughter or anger and sometimes bizarre
motor behavior (waxy flexibility)
Delusions
Disorders of Perception
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
• "Schizo", Latin for "split" and "phrenic",
"mind" describes the split from reality
experienced by the schizophrenic mind.
The personality loses it unity and
wholeness as a result of unorganized,
incoherent thinking, shifting emotional
moods and strange perceptions
INCOHERENT THINKING
Shifting Emotional Moods
Strange Perceptions
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
• Persons suffering from DISORGANIZED
SCHIZOPHRENIA have HALLUCINATIONS, sensory
experiences such as auditory hallucinations, hearing
voices or feeling bugs crawling on them that are not
there. They often have DELUSIONS, false beliefs such
as delusions of persecution, believing someone is trying
to hurt or kill them or other deluded thoughts. With such
unorganized and incoherent thoughts, disorganized
schizophrenics have difficulty communicating and are
confused. They often withdraw and regress to silly,
childlike behavior.
SCHIZOPHRENIA
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
• A less common form of schizophrenia is
CATATONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA. The catatonic
person may become completely immobile,
maintaining the same position for long periods of
time. In this condition known as a CATATONIC
STUPOR the person is robot-like but completely
conscious of what is happening. They may also
exhibit other bizarre motor behavior such as
WAXY FLEXIBILITY taking a bizarre posture or
waving the hands in front of the face in a
repetitive series of odd circles.
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
• The PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC has
elaborate systematized delusions about
the world. Three main types of delusions
are delusions of grandeur in which one is
a famous person such as Christ, delusions
of reference in which chance events such
as thunderstorms carry important
messages and delusions of persecution
that cause the schizophrenic to feel others
are plotting against him.