LECTURE OUTLINE: SPVV312

CHAPTER 1.

OVERVIEW.
1. Abnormal Psychology concerns itself with the study of 􏰀abnormal behaviour􏰁 in general
and more specifically focuses its attention on the following:
 DIAGNOSIS.
DSM-5 and ICD-10 diagnostic systems.
NB: Signs, symptoms, syndrome, clinical picture.
 EXPLANATION (Aetiology.)
Bio-Psycho-Social contributing causes with emphasis on Psycho.
 TREATMENT (Intervention)
Bio-Psycho-Social treatments with emphasis on Psycho .
 PROGNOSIS (Prediction)
What will the future bring?
e.g. - Course (acute, chronic, progressive, episodic etc.)
- Risk of harm to self or others.
- Response to treatment.

2. What is abnormality??
  No universal agreement.
  No single necessary or sufficient criteria for all disorders.
  Decisions about abnormal behaviour always involve social judgements and are
based on the values and expectations of society at large.
Criteria That Are Generally Indicative Are:
The more that someone has difficulties in the following areas, the more likely they are to
have some form of mental disorder.
1. Suffering and Distress.
2. Impairment in functioning.
3. Maladaptive behaviour.
4. Statistical deviance.
5. Violation of social standards/norms.
6. Causing social discomfort (violate informal social rules)
7. Dangerousness (to self or others)
8. Unpredictable and Irrational.

3. DSM 5 definition of Mental Disorder.

1. A psychological syndrome.
2. Present in an individual.
3. Involves clinically significant disturbance in behaviour, emotion or cognition.
4. That reflects an underlying psychological, biological or developmental dysfunction.
(Dysfunction = when a mechanism fails to perform its function)
5. Resulting in clinically significant distress or disability/impairment in key areas of
functioning.
6. Note that the syndrome must be considered atypical by the person’s culture.

4. Why classify?
 Most sciences rely on a classification system(s). Provides a useful cognitive tool.
  Provides a naming system (nomenclature).
 Structures information.
 Guides research.
 Useful in practice e.g. specifies the range of problems mental health professionals
should focus on (scope of practice) and used to designate which disorders are covered
by medical insurance.

5. Disadvantages of classification.
 A useful shorthand but it also leads to loss (neglect) of person’s detailed personal
information/context.
 Stigmatization: Disgrace associated with a mental disorder.
 Stereotyping: Inappropriate generalizations are made about the individual on the basis
of minimal information such as a diagnostic label.
 Labels tend to inappropriately “stick” (especially professional and anxiety provoking
labels).
Remember that diagnostic systems do not classify people, they classify disorders that
people have. She is not a Schizophrenic, she suffers from Schizophrenia, she is more than
her Schizophrenia.

6. Culture and abnormality.

1. Culture shapes clinical presentation (subjective) e.g.
 Depression: West = Feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
China= Somatic complaints such as tired, headache, dizzy.
 Content of delusions and hallucinations are influenced by cultural context.

2. Little is known about the cultural interpretation and expression of mental disorder
in cultures outside of Euro-American countries (from where the vast majority of the
psychiatric literature originates).

7. How common are Mental Disorders?

 Epidemiology = The study of the distribution of health problems in the population.
 Prevalence = The number of active cases in a population during a specified period of
time (point prevalence, 1-year prevalence ....).
 Incidence = Number of new cases that occur over a specified period of time (typically
1 year).

Comorbidity = Presence of two or more disorders in the same person at the same time.
There is a higher probability of comorbidity in persons with a severe forms of mental
disorder.

8. Mental Health Professionals.

The typical multidisciplinary team of health professionals treating inpatients are:
 Clinical Psychologist.
 Psychiatrist.
 Clinical Social Worker.
 Psychiatric Nurse.
 Pharmacist.
NOTE:
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THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER (pp. 40 – 55, 17 ed.) IS FOR SELF STUDY/READING).

CHAPTER 2.

HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR.

Historically as well as currently across cultures there is always a “spiritual” account of what
we call abnormal behaviour. These accounts have a spiritual expert/authority that provides a
“diagnosis”, “explanation”, “treatment” and “prognosis”.

Forces responsible for the

Christian Religion Traditional African Religion
individual’s “abnormal behaviour”▼
GOD. ANCESTRAL SPIRITS.
Positive Spiritual Forces Punishment. Revelation. Punishment. Message. Rx =
Rx = Prayer etc. Appeasement etc.
DEVIL.
WITCH.
Possession.
Negative Spiritual Forces Harm and bad luck.
Rx = Exorcism, prayer
Rx = Traditional healer.
etc.
NOTE:
OTHER THAN THE ABOVE TABLE, CHAPTER 2 IS FOR SELF STUDY/READING.