Continuing and Distance Education Introductory Psychology 1023 Lecture 6: Abnormal Psychology Reading: Chapter 14

Salem witch trial

Abnormality Behavior is –Statistically unusual –Maladaptive or harmful behavior –Labeled “abnormal” because of a violation of cultural standards –Mental disorder as suffering, personal distress Historical examples of abnormal behavior: –psychosis: demon possession, syphillis –mentally retarded individuals & midgets were “court-jesters” –Salem witch trials: girls may have ingested ergot, LSD derivative

Diagnosis: DSM-IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th Ed. (APA, 1994) Axis I: Clinical syndromes/ Mental disorders Axis II: Personality and Disorders Axis III: General Medical Conditions Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems Axis V: GAF Scale (1:low to 100:high)

Problems with DSM Overdiagnosis Power of diagnostic labels, e.g., person “becomes the disorder” Mental disorder vs. “everyday problems”, e.g., bad spellers? Illusion of objectivity But diagnosis leads to treatment, categories lead to empirical verification, and there is cross-cultural evidence of various mental health problems such as psychosis and depression

Kinds of Disorders

Specific kinds of anxiety disorders Phobias: Simple, social, and agoraphobia Panic Disorder: Bouts of intense and uncontrollable anxiety Generalized anxiety disorder: Chronic Stress Disorder: PTSD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder –obsession: unwanted impulses or thoughts –compulsion: uncontrolled repetitive act

Dissociative Disorders Dissociative amnesia: Memory loss for specific events or people Fugue: Total memory loss after stress, relocation and starting a new life Dissociative Identity Disorder (MPD) –two or more identities that coexist –associated with child trauma such as abuse –abused children sometimes “leave their bodies”

Mood Disorders Unipolar depression 10-20% depressed at some point in life multiple causes low self-esteem, loss of motivation, pessimism women > men Maladaptive cognitions Bipolar disorder 1% of population genetically mediated depressive and manic symptoms mania related to high energy and shifts of attention

Schizophrenia Negative symptoms: Behavior deficits –blunting of emotions –language deficits –apathy and social avoidance Active symptoms: Behaviors present –delusions: disordered thinking –hallucination: unusual sensory experience –disorganised incoherent speech –other bizarre behavior

Personality Disorders Stable & extreme personality features that affect happiness or adjustment Examples: –Paranoid: suspicious of others –Borderline: Mood and self-image unstable –Narcissistic: Self-centred, no empathy –Histrionic: Dramatic, manipulative, shallow –Antisocial: Break law, cheat & lie, no concern for others, lack empathy, impulsive, brain involvement

Models of abnormality Environmental –Conditioning: Reinforcement/Punishment –Snake bite leads to snake phobia –Cultural factors Cognitive: Distorted thinking –Negative thoughts and depression –Maladaptive attributions Medical: Physiological imbalance –Neurotransmitters, genetics