Warm Up
Set up table of contents page for 16 and
17
 Pick up one of each of the papers on the
overhead
 Get out a scrap sheet of paper
 Copy down homework
 http://www.hulu.com/watch/134660

Chapter 16 pt. 1: Perspectives on
Psychological Disorders and
Anxiety
Defining Psychological Disorder
A
Psychological Disorder is:
 a “harmful dysfunction” in which behavior
is judged to be:
1. atypical- not enough in itself
2. disturbing- varies with time &
culture
3. maladaptive- harmful; causes
suffering
4. unjustifiable- sometimes there’s a
good reason
History of Understanding
Psychological Disorders
 In
Ancient times, disorders were thought
to have been caused by movements of
the sun and moon (lunacy is full moon)
or by evil spirits.
 Treatments for people with mental illness
were very inhumane even up until the
mid 1900’s. Patients were often chained
like animals, beaten, burned, castrated,
etc.
Conditions for Psychologically
Disabled

Ancient Greek Traphines
European Traphines
“released evil spirits.”
Conditions for Psychologically
Disabled
Conditions for Psychologically
Disabled
Conditions for Psychologically
Disabled
Medical Model Improves
Conditions

Eventually the medical model came to
dominate understandings of mental illness.
 Late
1800s
The medical model assumes that diseases
have physical causes that can be diagnosed
based on their symptoms and be treated and in
most cases cured.
 Assumption of medical model drastically
improves conditions in mental hospitals.

Perspectives on Psychological
Disorders
 What
would Psychoanalytic
psychologist argue as the cause?
 Humanistic
would view cause?
Perspectives on Psychological
Disorders
 Cognitive?
 Behavioral?
Perspectives on Psychological
Disorders
 Biological?
 Socio-Cultural?
Most Mental Health Professionals
Assume Disorders Have
Interlocking Causes

Bio-Psycho-Social
Perspective:
assume biological,
psychological,
and sociocultural factors
interact to produce
disorders.
Biological
(Evolution,
individual
genes, brain
structures
and chemistry)
Sociocultural
(Roles, expectations,
definition of normality
and disorder)
Psychological
(Stress, trauma,
learned helplessnes
mood-related perceptio
and memories)
Classifying Psychological
Disorders
 DSM-IV:
the most widely
used manual for
classifying psychological
disorders.

The DSM-IV currently lists 410
mental disorders up from 145
in the DSM-II (1968) and 60 in
DSM-I (1951).
17 categories
Does not explain
causes

http://www.today.com/video/today/51915406#51915
406
DSM AXIS

Axis I: Clinical disorders, including major mental disorders,
and learning disorders, Substance Use Disorders


Depression, Anxiety, bipolar, autism, anorexia
Axis II: Personality disorders and intellectual disabilities
(although developmental disorders, such as Autism, were
coded on Axis II in the previous edition, these disorders are
now included on Axis I)

Axis III: Acute medical conditions and physical disorders



Brain injuries
Axis IV: Psychosocial and environmental factors
contributing to the disorder
Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning or Children's
Global Assessment Scale for children and teens under the
age of 18
Classifying Neurotic vs. Psychotic
Disorders
Neurotic disorder
 usually distressing but that allows one to
think rationally and function socially
 Freud saw the neurotic disorders as ways of
dealing with anxiety
 Psychotic disorder
 person loses contact with reality
 experiences irrational ideas and distorted
perceptions

Pros and Cons of the DSM-IV and
Labeling
 Pros?
Reliable
Need
a DSM diagnosis for insurance
 Cons?
Almost any behavior can be labeled
Distorts how we perceive others
Prejudice
Self fulfilling prophecy