1. What are Psychological Disorders?
Ch. 16 Section 1

3. Defining and Identifying Psychological Disorders
What is normal and abnormal?
Is being different abnormal?
Are all abnormalities mental problems?
There is really no satisfactory way to define “normal”.

4. A. Deviation from Normality
“Abnormal is anything that deviates from the majority.”
But is the majority always right?
Abnormality was once associated with “hysteria” and applied to mostly women.

5. B. Adjustment
“Normal” people can get along in the world- physically, socially, and emotionally.
“Abnormal” people cannot adjust (i.e. severe depression or anxiety)

6. C. Psychological Health
There is an ideal way to function psychologically, just like there is an ideal way to function physiologically.
Thomas Szasz believed it was wrong to label people “mentally ill”; they just have “problems with living”.

7. So how do you classify a disorder?
1952: published the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Today it is the DSM-V (2013)

8. Ways to categorize in the DSM-V
1. Essential features- characteristics.
2. Associated features- additional features present.
3. Differential diagnosis- how you know its not something else.
4. Diagnostic criteria- the actual symptoms.

9. 5 Axes of the DSM-V Axis I: Clinical Disorders- current symptoms
Axis II: Personality Disorders, Maladaptive Traits, Learning Problems and Mental Retardation

10. 5 Axes of the DSM-V
Axis III: General Medical Condition- physical/medical conditions that can affect mental state.
Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Factors- current stress level in the patient’s life.

11. 5 Axes of the DSM-V
Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning- highest level of adaptive functioning in the last year:
Social relations- quality of one’s relationships w/ family, friends.
Occupational functioning- quality of work as student, worker, etc.
Use of leisure time- recreational activities and pleasure found in them.