abnormal psychology intro

8/16/2019 Abnormal Psychology Intro

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Psychological Disorders pg 472

A “harmful dysfunction” in which behaviour is judged to be atypical,disturbing, maladaptive and unjustifiable.


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Psychological Fields

Many fields in psychology relate to psychological disorders:

Abnormal Psychology

Health Psychology Clinical Psychology

Counselling Psychology


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Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology is a field of psychology that

deals with psychopathology and abnormal

behaviour. Clinical psychologists

psychotherapists and counsellors typically wor! inthis field. Mental health professionals help assess

diagnose and treat a wide variety of mental

disorders including an"iety and depression.

#enerally considered that abnormal psychology is

the umbrella term to deal with all psychological

disorders.


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Health Psychology

$he central strategy practiced within health

psychology is the bio%psycho%social design. $he

&ritish Health 'ociety e"plains that health and

disease are the effects of a blending of biologicalpsychological and social factors. &iological

determinants consist of genetic conditions and

inherited personality traits. Psychological factors

are an"iety levels personality features and

lifestyle. 'ocial determinants consist of culturalviews family relationships and support systems.


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Causes of (isorders


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Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is concerned with the

assessment diagnosis treatment and prevention

of mental disorders. )hile all clinical

psychologists are interested in mental healththere are actually a wide variety of sub%specialties

within this field. 'ome of these specialty areas

include child mental health adult mental health

learning disabilities health psychology etc.


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Counselling Psychology

$his field is one of the largest individual areas

within psychology. *t is centred on treating clients

e"periencing mental distress and a wide variety of

psychological symptoms. $he 'ociety ofCounselling Psychology describes the field as an

area that can improve interpersonal functioning

throughout life by improving social and emotional

health as well as addressing concerns about

health wor! family marriage and more.


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)hat are we studying+

Abnormal &ehaviour

Psychopathology

Mental (isorder Mental *llness

(eviant &ehaviour


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$he (isclaimer

Please do not start diagnosing yourself your

family friends boyfriends,girlfriends

neighbours classmates teachers or anyone else

you can thin! of

*t will only lead to conflict and trouble-


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'ensitivity please-

*t is important to remember peopleare not ust their disorders/

People are not 0schi1ophrenics20alcoholics2 0autistics2 0phobics2 or0bipolars2% but rather people with

schi1ophrenia alcoholism autism etc.


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How are people withpsychological disorders

portrayed in themedia+


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Are all disordersviewed the same?


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)ho3s 4ormal+ 5our neighbor has physical complaints and sees

several doctors wee!ly.

A 66 year old college student smo!es 7%8 mariuanaoints per day has a 9. #PA has a part%time oband a solid long term relationship.

;achel a three year old girl has been caughtseveral times urinating in the corner at day%care.

A 98 year old very happily married man enoyswearing women3s clothes and underwear on thewee!ends when he and his wife go out on the

town.


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)ho decides what3s

04


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)hat *s Abnormal &ehaviour+

A psychological disorder is characterised as:

4on%typical

'ocially unacceptable

(istressing,harmful to the person

who e"hibits it or to the peoplearound them


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How can we classify and

describe disorders+ $he American Psychological Associations division

9 is health psychology and they focus on

understanding the relationship between health

and illness. $his division concentrates one"amining the psychological determinants that

influence health and they contribute information

to the health care policy system.


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DSM

DiagnosticStatistical Manual

of Mental

Disorders: the big

boo! of disorders. ('M will classify

disorders and

describe the

symptoms. ('M will 4


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#oals of the ('M and *C(

$o provide a system fordiagnosing disorders

$o improve the reliability ofdiagnoses

$o ma!e diagnoses consistent

with research evidence and

clinical e"periences.


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Approaches and Disorders

Psychological Approach Cause of the Disorder

!sychodynamic "nternal, unconscious drives

#umanistic $ailure to strive to one%s potential or

being out of touch with one%s feelings.

&ehavioural 'einforcement history, the

environment.

(ognitive "rrational, dysfunctional thoughts or

ways of thin)ing.

Sociocultural Dysfunctional Society

&iological*+euroscience

-volutionary

/rganic problems, biochemical

imbalances, genetic predispositions.

abnormal psychology intro

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