PS280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Thomas Szasz, Mental Health Professional, Dream Interpretation
Document Summary
Psychological disorder: a psychological dysfunction within an individual that is associated with distress or impairment in functioning and a response that is not typically or culturally expected. Phobia: a psychological disorder characterized by marked and persistent fear of an object or situations. Psychological dysfunction: breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioural functioning. Ex/ should be happy on a date, but instead you are fearful and you shouldn"t, and if the severe fear happens on every date then your emotions are not functioning properly. Just having a dysfunction may not meet the criteria for a psychological disorder because it occurs on a continuum. Psychopathology: is the scientific study of psychological disorders. The most important recent development in the history of psychopathology is the adoption of scientific methods to learn more about the nature of psychological disorders, their causes, and their treatment. Scientist-practitioners: mental health professional who take a scientific approach to their clinical work.
