Defining Abnormality
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Lecture slides for PSYC 3553 Psychopathology (UNB Saint John), Fall 2009. Discusses defining normal vs. abnormal behaviour, stereotype and stigma, and history of perspectives on abnormality.
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Defining Abnormality
- 1. 9/14/09 PSYC 3553 – Psychopathology Week 2: Defining Abnormality • September 15, 2009 1 What is normal? • What is normal behaviour and what is abnormal behaviour? • Why do we classify people into normal vs. abnormal? 2 Normal vs. Abnormal Behaviour • Outside of societal norm • Mental weaknesses • Variable in each culture • Confusing – few fit the normal standard…? • Can include severe harm or violence • May not be a bad thing – simply different • Difficulty in abiding by social situations • Not capable of surviving in society • Intentional? • Relative categorization 3 1
- 2. 9/14/09 Elements of abnormality • Deviant • Distressful to self and/or others • Dysfunctional or maladaptive • Dangerous to self and/or others 4 Elements of abnormality • Unpredictable /irrational • Violates social norms or is incomprehensible • Inappropriate to developmental stage 5 Classification of abnormal behaviour • Can get worse if not • To help others and treated as soon as improve understanding possible • Better coping • Don’t abide by normal rules – live by other set • Simplify the very subjective • Otherwise chaos • No longer a danger • Improve functioning • Dispel fears of the • Take away pain unknown 6 2
- 3. 9/14/09 Your Interests… • Use of non-drug treatments, and role of drug companies in prescribing medications • Specific disorders: mood, anxiety, dissociative, sleep, cognitive • Specific populations: troubled youth, school psychology, First Nations • Legal determination of insanity • Gender differences in bipolar disorder 7 Your Interests… • Murder/suicides among family members • Differentiate between disorders (i.e., bipolar disorder and schizophrenia) • Why some disorders without physiological explanation? Why are some seemingly “incurable”? • How people are born with them – or how they develop disorders? 8 Attitudes Toward Abnormality • Stereotypes – automatic beliefs • Stigma – shame & disgrace • Examples: • Canadian Medical Assoc. Report • Globe & Mail Breakdown Series • Video: Mental Health Commission of Canada: Stigma Symposium 9 3
- 4. 9/14/09 Attitudes Toward Abnormality • The Rosenhan studies • Original study • Slater’s update: has anything changed? • Why? Will it change? 10 Cultural Aspects • “…different cultures have different perspectives” • Display rules for expression of some disorders appear (e.g., depression) • Lack of other disorders (e.g., amok) 11 Cultural Aspects 12 4
- 5. 9/14/09 Statistics Talk • Epidemiology: study of disease statistics • Prevalence: # active cases in time period • Incidence: # new cases in given time period • Co-morbidity: co-occurring disorders 13 Statistics Talk • Lifetime prevalence: 20% of Canadians • Point prevalence: 300,000 Canadians • Often in adolescence/young adulthood • $$ = at least $7.9 billion (1998) 14 The Mental Health Professions • Clinical psychologist • Psychiatrist • Psychoanalyst • Social worker • Counseling psychologist • Psychiatric nurse 15 5
- 6. 9/14/09 Different Viewpoints • Abnormality is…against social / cultural norms • Abnormality is…a social construction • Abnormality is…a diseased brain 16 History of Abnormality • Demonology – spirits control us & cause abnormal behaviour • Methods of eviction: • Exorcism • Trepanning 17 18 6
- 7. 9/14/09 History of Abnormality • Somatogenesis vs. psychogenesis • Hippocrates: brain is central organ • Mania, melancholia, phrenitis • Personality: the “humours” • Galen: more scientific approach 19 History of Abnormality • Middle Ages: • Tarantism: uncontrollable dancing • Lycanthropy: wolf possession • Witchcraft: smart gals angry with society • Treatment: exorcisms, priest spitting… 20 History of Abnormality • 1500’s: asylums • Bethlehem (Bedlam) • Deplorable conditions, “patient shows” • Benjamin Rush: transition • Moral treatment: Philippe Pinel 21 7
- 8. 9/14/09 22 History of Abnormality • Mental hygiene movement: Dorothy Dix • 20th century: still cycled with preference • Deinstitutionalization: meant to be good… 23 Contemporary Thought • Early system of classification • Emil Kraepelin: syndromes • Empirical evidence of mental illness • General paresis and syphilis • Pasteur’s germ theory 24 8
- 9. 9/14/09 Contemporary Thought • Mesmer: magnetism • Charcot: hysteria • Breuer: catharsis • Anna O. • Freud: psychoanalysis 25 Mental Hospitals in Canada • Medicare • Provincial psychiatric hospitals • Milieu therapy • Community treatment orders (CTOs) 26 Lessons of History • Cycles of persecution, neglect and humanitarianism • Future generations may regard some of our practices as cruel and inhumane • Recent reforms may easily be reversed during adverse conditions 27 9