Models of Abnormality
1) Genetic material and the brain are implicated in abnormal behaviour in the biological
model.
Millions of neurons (nerve cells) in the human brain process and transmit information. It is
divided into two hemispheres, each of which controls a different body part. The thalamus,
hypothalamus, reticular activating system, limbic system, and cerebrum are among the brain
structures most relevant to abnormal behaviour. In the midbrain and the hindbrain, other structures
produce chemicals that are associated with mental illnesses.
Psychological disorders are thought to be caused by chemical imbalances, according to
biochemical theories. An axon is the part of a neuron that carries signals to other neurons. Synapses
are small openings at the end of the axon where chemicals called neurotransmitters are released into
the axon's interior. Many mental disorders are associated with an imbalance of neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitter activity can be blocked or enhanced by certain medications, reducing symptoms of
abnormal behaviour.
When it comes to explaining the development of disorders, genetics also plays a key role.
Physical or behavioural characteristics are produced by a person's genotype (genetic makeup) (the
person's phenotype). All genes in a human cell have been mapped, and their sequence has been
completed. The Human Genome Project now has a basic blueprint of the entire genetic material found
in each human body cell. The cause of a few diseases has been traced to a single cell. However, the
majority of diseases result from many genes interacting with hormones, electrical signals, and nutrient
supplies on an internal level, as well as external environmental influences.
Because of its emphasis on internal causes, it equates organic dysfunction with a mental
dysfunction and assumes that biochemical differences cause disorder when they may be a
consequence. According to the Diathesis-Stress Theory, a person can inherit a tendency to develop an
illness, but environmental factors must activate this tendency in order for the disorder to manifest
itself.
Psychodynamic models are based on a variety of (p. 43). The psychodynamic model of
Sigmund Freud places a strong emphasis on early childhood experiences. As a result, we develop
anxiety symptoms. For abnormal behaviour to be eliminated, the patient must be able to express and
understand unconscious conflicts.
Structure of personality The id, the ego, and the superego interact to form the personality. A
need for immediate gratification is at the heart of the pleasure principle, which governs behaviour.
D's Reality principle influences the ego. Consciousness and the ego ideal make up the superego, which
is composed of both. Five psychosexual stages determine the development of a person's personality
(oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital). Emotional development can be affected by the fixation on
any one of the stages.
Realistic, moralistic, and neurotic forms of anxiety are at the core of psychoanalytic thinking.
Defence mechanisms protect anxiety. Repression, reaction formation, projection, rationalisation,
displacement, undoing, and regression are some of these.
As part of psychoanalysis, therapists attempt to weaken the ego to bring unconscious material
to light. Insights like these help patients better understand their inner motivations and behaviours.
Post-Freudian perspectives give "Freudian" ideas new life. As part of their work, they emphasise
freedom of choice and future goals, ego autonomy; social forces; object relations; and the treatment
of seriously disturbed individuals. In the past, psychoanalysis has been accused of relying too heavily
on case studies, prone to bias. As a result, the psychodynamic theory is biassed against women and
cannot be applied to a wide range of disturbed individuals. These models emphasise the importance
of learning. It involves pairing a neutral (conditioned) stimulus with a nonconditioned stimulus that
automatically produces specific unconditioned responses (unconditional conditioning model).
"Conditioned response": After repeated pairing, the conditional stimulus alone can produce a weaker
version of the reaction: psychopathology and classical conditioning. As a result, phobias and deviant
sexual behaviour can be attributed to these two concepts. To be sure, passive associative learning has
its limitations. Consequences of voluntary and controllable operant behaviours are the focus of the
operant conditioning model of conditioning. According to Thorndike's law of effects, they are more
likely to occur when positive consequences result and less likely when negative consequences result.
Psychopathologies such as self-injurious behaviour can be explained using the principles of operant
conditioning. A similar concept to classical conditioning is operant conditioning.
As a result of vicarious conditioning or modelling, the observational learning model suggests
that individuals can acquire new behaviours simply by watching other people perform those
behaviours. The assumption of psychopathology observational learning is that exposure to disturbed
models can disturb behaviour when the model is disturbed. Both the understanding and treatment of
disorders have benefited from behavioural models. It is alleged that they undervalue internal
psychological factors that influence human behaviour. Thoughts affect our emotional states and
behaviour, according to the cognitive models. Our reactions, behaviours, and self-evaluations are
determined by our mediating processes, which vary among people. Experiences are influenced by our
schemas (the way we interpret events).
Ellis and other cognitive theorists focus on irrational beliefs or automatic thoughts that are
out of sync with reality (Beck). He developed a hierarchy of cognitive content from his research on
depression. An event, a belief, and a resulting behaviour or emotion are the components of Ellis' A-BC theory of personality. Irregular inference, selective abstraction, over generalisation, magnification
and exaggeration and polarised thinking are six faulty or distorted thinking that Beck describes in his
book. As part of cognitive therapy, clients monitor their thoughts, recognise the connections between
their thoughts, emotions and behaviours, examine the evidence for their assumptions, and substitute
more reality-oriented interpretations for their original assumptions. Science cannot study cognitions,
according to some behaviourists. It is not acceptable to them to reduce human beings solely to their
cognitions because that would violate their humanism. Others are opposed to cognitive therapy
methods that are confrontational. Both the humanistic and existential approaches stress the
importance of viewing the world from one's perspective. They also emphasise the individual's freedom
of choice and his or her wholeness. According to Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow (self-actualisation),
humans are motivated by their desire to improve themselves. A person's self-concept and tendency
to actualise become incongruent when society imposes conditions of worth on them. Behaviour
disorders are the result of this incongruence. Each individual is allowed to reach their full potential in
Rogers' person-centred therapy. To help the client actively evaluate his or her experience, the
therapist uses the reflection of feelings and acceptance rather than advice.
In contrast to humanism, existentialists adopt a less optimistic outlook. A person's place in the
human condition is emphasised, emphasising responsibility toward others. A scientific basis for either
approach is lacking. Both approaches are vague and apply ineffective therapies for people who are
suffering from severe mental health problems.
DSM and ICD
ICD and DSM Accuracy: ICD and It is considered to be less accurate than other data collection
methods, despite the fact that it is quick. With clinical significance criteria and specificity in the
description, it is considered to be far more accurate than a generalised description of the condition.
Reliability Because they reject diagnostic criteria without independent validation, ICD systems are
considered to be less reliable.
Uncertainty in diagnosis results from this. With the introduction of operational criteria, the
system is regarded as being more reliable in a statistical context. Credence Many nations around the
world have adopted this classification system. In the United States, it is an official classification.
But many other countries have adopted it as well. Purpose The International Classification of
Diseases (ICD) is used by many health practitioners to classify all illnesses. psychiatrists use DSM as a
code set for all mental disorders. Applicability WHO member nations, which include low- and middleincome nations, have embraced ICD. In high-income nations, DSM is the first choice for psychiatric
care. Coverage Operational criteria are not included in ICD, which only provides guidance and
diagnostic criteria. In addition, DSM provides operational criteria for each condition with distinct
definitions.