1. Dr Ros Weston Psychology
MENTAL DISORDERS
Dr Ros Weston
Psychology

2. MENTAL DISORDERS MPD? Is it a form of Schizophrenia or not? DSM IV
Clinical characteristics Advantages
Symptoms Disadvantages
Syndromes Use research
Definitions language to describe/ critically analyse/ evaluate
Ethnics
Limitations
Is it a form of Schizophrenia or not?
Stress Diathesis
Causation Evolutionary
Psychological
factors
-Culture Biochemistry
social factors Neurochemistry
experiences Interactivity
between all
Culture of these
Social
factors Genes
Biology
Experience
MPD?
It a culture bound syndrome?
(Humphreys 1999)
(Berry et. al 1992)
Is it an exotic mental illness
Kora – Chowdley (1998)
Benstein & Gaw (1990)
Tobin (1996)
Running Amok
Knecht (1999)
Westmeyer (1973)
Examples : Hungerford : (1987)
: Hamilton: Dunblane
Columbine School USA (1998)
Anorexia : Holland et al (1988)
Sleep paralysis (Lim, Keh Ming 1996
Schizophrenia & TV
Differences from Schizophrenia
presence of 2 or more distinct personalities.
It is a personality disorder not a episodic disorder
It is deeply engrained & enduring
It is also known as dissociative identity disorder (Allison& Schwaty)
“it is not various identities but simply multiple identities.
Evidence
Incidence : 1950’s Case study Eve Case Study
130 cases : an epidemic evidence
M.P.D defence placed on trial Three
Under & Over diagnosis faces of Eve
are patients genuine? Sybil
Iatrogenesis : physical or therapist induced
(Meskey 1992) : leads to social desirability and
demand characteristics Hillside
Hypnosis increase iatrogenic effect. (Sparos, 1995) strangler
Once a personality been given a name it becomes
reality
(Sparos 1985)

3. Is MPD or Any Mental Illness Culturally Relative?
Berry 1992:
Cultural Relativity or Culturally Universal? “Are there local expression of universal disorders?”
Cultural symptoms could be primary rather than cultural overlay
MPD also known as Disassociate Identity Disorder
Berry : Disorders worldwide : MPD; Schizophrenia; Depression; Manic Depression; Dementia; Senility
(Kendall & Hammen, 1995),

4. Explaining Cultural Differences (Synoptic Issue)
Variations of symptoms not accounted for ie. DSM IV or ICD 10. (Ebigro, 1986)
Interpretation of DSM by individual psychiatrists problematic
Argument 1
Suppression – facilitation model
(Weisz, 1987)
Suppressed behaviour will rarely be
seen if a culture expects it not to
happen.
(Social norms & values)
Expected behaviour is rewarded so
will be seen often : expected
behaviour is rewarded therefore it is
facilitated.
(if. US Children & Thai study schoolchildren in text book)
Reducing Cultural Bias
Need to understand language differences
between patients & clinician / therapist
Therapists & clinicians understanding cultural
differences & expression of these
Need to know how far client / patient identifies
with cultural group
Gender Bias / Difference (Robin et al)
This has been identified as Alpha & Beta bias in
Amnesia
Alcoholism
Anti – social bias / behaviour
Are these ‘real’ gender, differences or clinician / therapist bias?
Misdiagnosis : Stevens (1987)
There is a lot of misdiagnosis in
developing countries : India (Asia) &
Africa
Afro-Caribbean’s in the UK are 7* more
likely have a diagnosis of schizophrenia
than a white person
Blake, (1973) found evidence of cultural
relatively

5. Stereotyping : Social Class Bias
List Alpha & Beta Bias Here…..
MALE FEMALE
Umbenhavuer & De Wilts (1978) found
Bias towards poorer people (Social class bias)
Higher social classes have coping mechanism and can afford to pay for therapy, life coach etc.
See schizophrenia “Social Causation Hypothesis”
Social Drift Hypothesis
Bowerman (1981)
Kendall & Hammen, (1995)
Alpha bias exists in relation to “normality” (what is normal?)
This mitigates against women
Suppression – facilitation hypothesis : Men less
likely to seek help than women
(Ford & Widiger, 1989)

6. Situational Theory of state-dependent learning
Causation of MPD
Iatrogenic
Psychodynamic
Behaviour
Situational Theory of state-dependent learning
Self hypnosis
Social Construction
Biological
Evolutionary
Cognitive
Your Explanation