1. Defining Abnormality

2. Understanding Abnormality At times, understanding normal behavior is difficult enough Tolerance for a developing field Remaining objective

3. What is Normal? What is Abnormal?

4. DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

5. behavior that occurs infrequently DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

6. behavior that is considered unacceptable within a given culture DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

7. behavior that is ineffective in meeting a person’s goals DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

8. Behavior or feelings that are uncomfortable to the person experiencing them DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

9. PROBLEMS? STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

10. Common problems?Common problems? Focus on negative?Focus on negative? DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

11. What about cultural differences?What about cultural differences? Norms change with timeNorms change with time DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

12. Changes with each person and their goals?Changes with each person and their goals? DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

13. Too subjective?Too subjective? Who defines distressing?Who defines distressing? DEFINING ABNORMALITY STATISTICALLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY DISTRESSING BEHAVIOR

14. The Take Home Message Abnormality is hard to define There is no definition of “normal” Can use several rules (at once) Rules can change with purpose Research Therapy Abnormality/Normality is continuous

15. The DSM-IV Definition Mental disorder = Clinically significant impairment Associated with current distress Not an expected or sanctioned response Is a manifestation of dysfunction Neither deviant behavior nor societal conflicts qualify alone