1Abnormal BehaviorPsychological DisordersPsychopathologyWhat is Normal Behavior?What is Abnormal Behavior?2Culture defines what is normal and abnormal behaviorModels of Abnormal Behavior• Statistical Model• Physiological or Biological Model• Sociological Theory• Psychoanalytic Theory• Learning ModelStatistical Model• Persons who are greater than two standard deviations away from the mean are considered abnormal.• a. Works for intelligence3Physiological or Biological Model• Abnormal behavior is linked to a disease which• Has symptoms• Classify the symptoms get a diagnosis• After you get the diagnosis get some therapy (drugs)• When the therapy is complete you are curedProblem–Desirable behavior such as working for the Olympics would be considered abnormal–Belief one is controlled by aliens would be considered abnormalExample 1• Symptoms - runny nose, cough, temperature, feel achy• Classify Get a diagnosis the symptoms (viral upperrespiratory inf.)• Diagnosis Therapy (aspirin, bed-aspirin, bedrest, chicken soup)• When Therapy is done Cured4Example 2• Symptoms Feeling down, blue, thoughts of suicide• Diagnosis Depression• Therapy Drugs, talk therapy, • Therapy done Are they Cured?NO In Remission5Problems with the Biological Model• Cannot get rid of the label• No independent means to verify the existence of a disease Certain behaviors are categorized and called mental illnesses.E.g., hallucinations, delusions, paranoia.Diagnosis schizophrenia.• Why does the patient have delusions and hallucinations?• Because they are schizophrenic• Is a circular explanationSociological Theory• SZAZZ• Contends mental illness is a myth• The key to mental disorders is in the label• Without the label there is no disorder• Mental illness is merely a term we give to people whose behavior is different from the norms of a society6• However, the behavior is not criminal, heretical, or revolutionary• So, to account for the deviance, the person must be mentally ill• Thus, mental illness is not a condition; it depends on how the individual is seen by othersPsychoanalytic Theory• Abnormal behavior is caused by conflicts between the Id, Ego, & Superego• You have symptoms because of anxietyLearning Model• Symptoms are caused by classical and operant conditioning• You reinforce individuals for exhibiting symptoms7Today• We define abnormal behavior when one or more of the following occur.• 1. Bizarreness or extremeness• 2. Disturbance of others• 3. Subjective distress• 4. Interference with dailyfunctioning.Diagnosis and Classification of Abnormal Behavior• First Classification system was developed by Kraeplin (1883)• Tried to use objective measures• Identified two major mental disorders• 1. Dementia Praecox - Schizophrenia• 2. Manic Depressive Psychosis - BipolarSince Kraeplin• Several international efforts have tried to develop a unified worldwide system.• In U.S• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) Currently - DSM IV8In DSM IV• Behavior is rated on five dimensions called a Multiaxial Assessment• I Clinical Disorders• II Personality and Developmental disorders• III General Medical Conditions• IV Psychosocial and Env. Problems• V Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF)Clinical Disorders• Mood Disorders• Anxiety Disorders• Schizophrenia and Other PsychoticDisorders• Substance Abuse Disorders• Eating Disorders• Sleep Disorders• OthersPersonality and Developmental Disorders• Disorders that usually occur in childhood• Occurs from personality development that occur in childhood• Obsessive - Compulsive • Mental Retardation• Paranoid Disorder9General Medical ConditionsConditions that may have a psychological component– e.g., asthmaMay also have conditions that are not directly psychological but may have an impact on the person– Nutritional conditions– Alzheimer'sPsychosocial and Environmental Problems• Educational Problems– Illiteracy• Housing Problems– homelessness• Occupational Problems – unemploymentGlobal Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF)• How well has the individual functioned during the last year10Advantages• Has increased the diagnostic precision• Categories are based on empirical symptom clusters• Has increased the reliability of different disorders.Problems• Has expanded the list of childhood problems– Now have developmental disorders• Arithmetic disorders• Developmental Reading Disorders• Developmental writing disorders– Diagnoses are often made without regard to the capacity of kid– Really is a learning problem.• Political pressure• DSM III did not claim that Homosexuality was a problem.• Only included ego-dystonic homosexuality (homosexuality that adversely affected other aspects of psychological health)• Due to political pressure (a vote in a committee) homosexuality was completely removed.• If you can get changes in diagnoses due to political pressure, then what is labeled abnormal can be anything.11DisordersAnxiety Disorders• Phobias• Anxiety State Disorder• Generalized Anxiety• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder• Post Traumatic Stress DisorderPhobias• Fears out of proportion to the danger posed by the object or situation.• Snakes• Spiders• Places• Usual defense – avoid the situation Negative Reinforcement12Anxiety State Disorder– Panic Disorders• Are recurrent attacks of panic or anxiety that occur unpredictability• E.g., driving a car, classroom, alone watching TV• Symptoms• Get intense apprehension, fear, and terror• Often associated with feelings of impending doom• Hot / Cold flashes• Shortness of Breath• Etc.Generalized Anxiety• Generalized persistent anxiety of at least one months duration• Not linked to a particular object or situationSymptoms• Motor Tension • Hyperactivity• Life out of control• May result in alcoholism or drug useObsessive Compulsive Disorder• Obsessions • Recurrent Thoughts you cannot get out of your mind• Compulsions• Ritualized behaviors that occur over and over13Dissociative Disorders• Psychogenic Amnesia• FuguePsychogenic Amnesia• Sudden inability to recall important personal information• Not due to an organic mental disorder• Extent too great to be explained by forgetfulness• Four types based on a severity scaleLocalized• a. Is the most common• b. Cannot recall events for a