Myers EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY 6th Edition in Modules

1
Myers EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (6th Edition in
Modules)

• Module 36
• Introduction to Psychological Disorders
• James A. McCubbin, PhD
• Clemson University
• Worth Publishers

2
Psychological Disorders

• Psychological Disorder
• a harmful dysfunction in which behavior is
  judged to be
• atypical--not enough in itself
• disturbing--varies with time and culture
• maladaptive--harmful
• unjustifiable--sometimes theres a good reason

3
Evaluating Abnormal Behavior

• Abnormal behavior can be evaluated from the
  perspective of the individual
• Distress
• Disability
• Abnormal behavior can be evaluated from the
  perspective of society
• Deviance
• When evaluating abnormal behavior, always
  consider severity and duration of symptoms.

4
Dr. Piercys 7 Criteria for Abnormal Behavior

• Behavior is unusual
• Behavior is dangerous
• Behavior is evaluated negatively by society
• Perception of reality is faulty
• The person is in distress
• Behavior interferes with the persons ability to
  function.
• Behavior is maladaptive

5
Psychological Disorders

• Medical Model
• concept that diseases have physical causes
• can be diagnosed, treated, and in most cases,
  cured
• assumes that these mental illnesses can be
  diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and
  cured through therapy, which may include
  treatment in a psychiatric hospital

6
Psychological Disorders

• Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective
• assumes that biological, sociocultural, and
  psychological factors combine and interact to
  produce psychological disorders

7
Psychological Disorders
8
Classifying Psychological Disorders

• DSM-IV
• American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and
  Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth
  Edition)
• a widely used system for classifying
  psychological disorders
• presently distributed as DSM-IV-TR (text revision)

9
Labeling Psychological Disorders

• Some clinicians suggest that the diagnoses
  provided by the DSM create labels that may be
  either damaging to the patient or destructive to
  the cause of finding out the root of a problem.
• Note Rosenhans (1973) study of 8 normal
  individuals who were all diagnosed as mentally
  ill and held for an average of 19 days after
  saying they heard voices and felt empty, or
  hollow.
• Many of their normal behaviors (such as taking
  notes) were interpreted as symptoms of their
  illnesses.

10
Using the DSM IV TR

• Consists of 5 Axes (areas a clinician can
  consider in making a diagnosis)
• Axis I Clinical disorders an other conditions
  that may be a focus of clinical attention. Does
  the client have a clinical disorder? If so,
  which one(s)?
• Axis II Personality disorders and mental
  retardation. Does the client have a personality
  disorder or some form of mental retardation? If
  so, which one?
• Axis III General medical conditions. Does the
  client have a medical condition that could be
  relevant to treatment?
• Axis IV - Psychosocial and environmental
  problems. Are there (or have there been) any
  psychosocial or environmental conditions that
  could be a focus of treatment?
• Axis V - Global Assessment of Functioning. What
  is the clients current level of functioning?
  Based on severity and degree of impairment scale
  of 0-100.

11
Rates of Psychological Disorders