1. What is Abnormal…anyway?

2. What Is Abnormal Behavior?
Abnormal behavior is characterized as:
Non- typical
Socially unacceptable
Distressing to the person who exhibits it or to the people around them

3. What do we call people labeled as abnormal?

5. Labels, Labels, Labels…
These words are used to dismiss and dehumanize people whom we consider different.

6. Who decides what’s “NORMAL”?
WE do!

7. Abnormal Psychology
Is the field of psychology concerned with assessment, treatment, and prevention of maladaptive behavior.
“Clinical Psychology”

8. Are all disorders viewed the same?

9. How are Psychological Disorders Diagnosed?
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has devised a system for diagnosing maladjusted behavior
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Referred to as the DSM IV (4th edition)

10. Why do we need a system to diagnose psychiatric disorders?

11. Goals of the DSM IV To provide a system for diagnosing disorders
To improve the reliability of diagnoses
To make diagnoses consistent with research evidence and clinical experiences.

12. The Disclaimer
Please do not start diagnosing yourself, your family, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, neighbors, classmates, teachers or anyone else you can think of… 
This unit will not make you a psychologist!

13. Sensitivity, please…
It is important to remember-people are not just their disorders!
People are not “schizophrenics”, “alcoholics”, “autistics”, “phobics” or “bipolars”- but rather people with schizophrenia, alcoholism, autism…etc.