Psychological Disorders

§ Psychological Disorder a “harmful dysfunction” in which behavior is judged to be (text discussion):

§ atypical--not enough in itself

§ disturbing--varies with time and culture

§ maladaptive--harmful

§ unjustifiable--sometimes there’s a good reason

Defined as Function

o Individual is not functioning adequately based on either his/her standards or according to significant others in the person’s life.

o Almost all the disorders we discuss have symptoms that everyone experiences. Diagnosis of disorder depends of intensity and length.

n Depression

n Anxiety

n Psychosis?

Psychological Disorders

§ Medical Model

§ concept that diseases have physical causes

§ can be diagnosed, treated, and in most cases, cured

§ assumes that these “mental” illnesses can be diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and cured through therapy, which may include treatment in a psychiatric hospital

Problems with medical model

o Effects of labeling person, especially if based on limited number of symptoms

n May limit true understanding of behavior in favor of “listed” symptoms and assumptions about outcome

n Confirmation bias: future information interpreted in a biased way based on label

o Similar problems can exist with diagnosis physical ailments

Psychological Disorders

§ Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective

§ assumes that biological, sociocultural, and psychological factors combine and interact to produce psychological disorders

Bio-Psycho-Social Approach

Bio-Psycho-Social Approach

o These factors change over time. Hence, it’s harmful to place a constant label on a person

o “Normal” behavior changes over cultures, sub-cultures and time.

n E.g., is gang behavior or violence “abnormal”?

o It’s more important to understand behavior (and symptoms) then worry about labels.

Classifying Psychological Disorders (medical approach dominates)

§ DSM-IV

§ American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition)

§ a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders

§ presently distributed as DSM-IV-TR (text revision)

Classifying Psychological Disorders

§ Neurotic Disorder (term seldom used now)

§ usually distressing but that allows one to think rationally and function socially

§ Psychotic Disorder

§ person loses contact with reality

§ experiences irrational ideas and distorted perceptions

Rates of Psychological Disorders