PSYC 1030H Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Asperger Syndrome, American Psychiatric Association, Thematic Apperception Test
21 Apr 2019
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Abnormality: topic like this can be fuzzy . Why define mental disorders: consistency in use of terms, distinguish normal from non-normal responses to stress, determines need for treatment. Deviance from social norms: violates social norms (widely held beliefs and standards for acceptable behavior). Deviance from personal norms (distress: symptoms cause subjective suffering, agony, acute change from previous level of functioning. Impairs ability to function in important areas of life: relationships, family, work, education. Unexpectedness: surprising or out-of-proportion responses to environmental stressors are considered abnormal. Danger of looking at symptoms in isolation without clear operational definitions: risk of overestimating amount of mental illness, overlook continuity with all human experience, overlook social causes and personal context. Cornerstone of clinical care and treatment: 2. Advances research on causes and treatments: diagnostic terms, these increase in levels of understanding about pathology and causes, symptom: observable behavior or state. There"s no implied pathology: examples include sore throat or depressed mood, syndrome: cluster of co-occurring symptoms.
