Introduction to Abnormal Psychology
Defining Abnormality
 What does it mean to be sane or insane?
 Seemingly simple, but complex concept
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Statistical Definition
◦ Is something atypical considered abnormal?
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Societal and cultural norms definition
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Distress Definition - however, there are times
when abnormal behavior is not distressing
◦ Manic phase of bipolar depression
◦ Antisocial personality disorder
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Impairment in functioning
◦ Cognitive
◦ Emotional
◦ Behavioral
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Sometimes, this is not “abnormal”
◦ Depression over a death
Difficult to define…
 3 Criteria…
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◦ Deviance
◦ Distress
◦ Disability/Maladaptive Behavior
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Symptom/Behavior Continuum:
--Abnormal
normal range
+++
Abnormal
DSM-IV-TR Definition
 Behavioral, emotional or cognitive
dysfunctions that are;

◦ unexpected in their cultural context
◦ associated with personal distress, or
◦ substantial impairment in functioning
Defining Abnormality

Abnormal behavior must be a consistent pattern
of behavior
◦ “Thousand light years running through my brain
reminding me that no one’s sane, not all the time”
- 311

What is considered abnormal depends on
various factors
◦ "And those who were seen dancing were thought to be
insane by those who could not hear the music."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Defining Abnormality

Characteristics of abnormal behavior.
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◦
◦
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Statistical deviance
Cultural deviance
Emotional Distress
Dysfunction
Problems with labeling mentally ill: Rosenhan
study – “On being sane in insane places”
Just being labeled insane can tremendously
affect how people react to you
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Reasons to Label/Diagnose:
◦ Needed for communication
◦ Guide treatment
◦ Insurance reimbursement
Arguments against Labeling:
◦ Creates a stigma
◦ Creates a self-fulfilling prophecy
◦ Fail to see the person behind the disorder
 Perceived
Causes
◦ movements of sun or moon
 lunacy- full moon
◦ evil spirits
 Ancient
Treatments
◦ exorcism, caged like animals, beaten,
burned, mutilated, blood replaced with
animal’s blood
Biological
(chemistry,
brain)

assumes that
biological,
sociocultural,
and
psychological
Sociocultural
(Societal expectations,
definition of normality
and disorder)
Psychological
(learned helplessness,
negative perceptions
and memories)
factors
combine and
interact to
produce
psychological
disorders

Diagnosis
◦ Label for a set of symptoms

Prognosis
◦ Prediction or forecast for the course of
a D/O

Etiology
◦ Suspected cause of a disorder

DSM-IV-TR
◦ Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
4th edition, Text Revision
◦ Published by the American Psychiatric Association
◦ 2000…(most recent update 2004)
◦ Next major revision (DSM-V) anticipated for 2011.

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Provides for reliable classification and description of
all mental illnesses
Allows for better communication
Classifying Disorders

DSM IV- Purpose:
◦ Provide a well-defined classification system
 based on objective and measurable criteria,
 reliable diagnoses of psychological disorders
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Axis
Axis
Axis
Axis
Axis
I Major Clinical Disorders
II Mental Retardation & Personality Disorders
III General Medical Conditions
IV Psychosocial/Environmental Stressors
V Global Assessment of Functioning
◦ # between 1 and 100
◦ Current and Highest in past year
Anxiety Disorders
 Mood Disorders
 Somatoform Disorders
 Dissociative Disorders
 Schizophrenia
 Substance Use Disorders
 Other Axis I Disorders
 Personality Disorders (Axis II)
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