Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G.

Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 5
ANXIETY, TRAUMA- AND STRESSOR-RELATED, AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
AND RELATED DISORDERS

Anxiety is an emotional state characterized by physiological arousal, unpleasant feelings of

tension, and a sense of apprehension or foreboding. The anxiety is characterized by a wide range of
symptoms that cut across physical, behavioral, and cognitive domains such as physical features,
behavioral features and cognitive features. The anxiety disorder is a class of psychological disorders
characterized by excessive or maladaptive anxiety reactions. Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder
characterized by repeated episodes of intense anxiety or panic, the intense anxiety reactions accompanied
by physical symptoms, such as pounding heart, shortness of breath, dizziness and etc. Strong bodily
component to panic attacks are compared to other forms of anxiety and this panic disorder can lead to
agoraphobia that is an excessive, irrational fear of open or public places. According to American
Psychiatric Association, 2013 a diagnosis of panic disorder is that the person must have experienced
repeated, unexpected panic attacks, and at least one of the attacks must be followed by a period of at least
one month that included either or both of the following.
The Cognitive Factors of Panic Disorders is that anxiety sensitivity may magnify fear reactions to
cues of bodily arousal and there are also treatment approaches includes drugs that is commonly used to
treat depression. Antidepressant drugs that is also have antianxiety and antipanic effects and it help
counter anxiety by normalizing neurotransmitter activity.
Phobic Disorders concepts of fear and anxiety are closely related.  Fear is an anxiety experienced
in response to a particular threat while a phobia is a fear of an object or situation that is disproportionate
to the threat it poses. Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia has an excessive fear of social interactions
or situations, the underlying problem is an excessive fear of negative evaluations from others. The
agoraphobia or “fear of the marketplace, is a fear of being out in open, busy areas it may fear be fear of
walking through crowded streets, crossing a bridge and etc.
The Psychodynamic & Learning Perspectives of Phobic Disorders is that anxiety is a danger
signal indicating that threatening impulses of a sexual or aggressive nature are nearing the level of
awareness while there are also Biological Perspectives of Phobic Disorders that the genetic factors can
predispose individuals to develop anxiety disorders that includes panic disorder and phobic disorders. In
Cognitive Perspective there are recent research that highlights the importance of cognitive factors in
determining proneness to phobias that is oversensitivity to threatening cues, over prediction of danger,
self-defeating thoughts and irrational beliefs. There are treatment approaches to Phobic Disorders that
includes Traditional Psychoanalysis and Modern Psychodynamic Therapies. Learning Based Approaches
to Phobic Disorders has a systematic desensitization, it is a fear reduction process by means of exposure
to progressively more fearful stimuli while remaining deeply relaxed. There are also Gradual exposure
that process the gradual confrontation to the object or situation that is feared and the flooding that is the
exposure to high levels of fear inducing stimuli. The Cognitive & Drug Therapy for Phobic Disorders has
its Cognitive restructuring that involves replacing irrational thoughts with rational alternatives.
Generalized anxiety disorder or called as GAD is an excessive anxiety not limited to one object, situation,
or activity it includes excessive and uncontrolled worrying.
Body dysmorphic disorder is a preoccupation with an imagined or exaggerated physical defect in
appearance causing individuals to feel they are ugly or even disfigured. It is an obsession with their
perceived defect and compulsive behaviors aimed at fixing the perceived defect. While the Hoarding
disorder is an accumulation of and need to retain unnecessary and seemingly useless possessions, causing
personal distress or making it difficult to maintain a safe, habitable living space.
Hoarding disorder is similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder but there are several differences,
the obsessive thinking in hoarding is not associated with intrusive, unwanted thoughts and those who
hoard do not experience an urge to perform rituals to control disturbing thoughts.
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 6
SOMATIC SYMPTOM AND RELATED DISORDERS AND DISSOCIATIVE DISORDERS

Somatic symptom and related disorders characterized by complaints of physical problems or

symptoms that cannot be explained by physical causes or have excessive concern about the nature or
meaning of the symptoms. The symptoms significantly interfere with daily functioning and is based on
assumption that psychological processes affect physical functioning. Treatment for somatic symptom
disorders ranges from simple reassurance and social support strategies to therapies designed to reduce
stress and remove any secondary gain from the activity. Recently, particularly tailored cognitive
behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective for certain diseases.
The illness anxiety disorder or IAD applies to a subgroup of people with hypochondriasis who
complain of relatively minor or mild symptoms they take to be signs of a serious undiagnosed illness. A
preoccupation with the belief that one is seriously ill and the emphasis is placed on the anxiety associated
with illness rather than the distress the symptoms cause.
Conversion disorder is called functional neurological symptom disorder in the DSM-5 that
characterized by symptoms or deficits that affect the ability to control voluntary movements or that impair
sensory functions, such as an inability to see, hear, or feel tactile stimulation. It also believed to involve
the conversion or transformation of emotional distress into significant symptoms in the motor or sensory
domain.
The factitious disorder is characterized by intentional fabrication of psychological or physical
symptoms for no apparent gain and it has a two subtypes, the factitious disorder imposed on self that is
faking symptoms in oneself and a factitious disorder imposed on another that induce physical or
emotional illness in another person, typically a child or dependent person. In psychodynamic theory the
hysterical symptoms are functional allows the person to achieve primary gains and secondary gains from
the symptoms. The primary gain allows the individual to keep internal conflicts repressed and the
secondary gain allows the individual to avoid burdensome responsibilities and to gain the support rather
than condemnation of those around them.
The dissociative disorder involve a disruption or dissociation of the functions of identity,
memory, or consciousness that normally make us whole and this includes dissociative identity disorder,
dissociative amnesia and depersonalization or derealization disorder.
The Dissociative identity disorder or DID is a disorder in which a person has two or more
personalities and each of these personality has well defined traits and memories and also diagnosis of
multiple personality is rare.
Second, the dissociative amnesia in which it is a memory loss without any identifiable organic
cause, this may be unable to remember personal information and usually associated with traumatic events.
The memory loss is reversible, although it may last for days, weeks, or even years. Dissociative amnesia
is classified into five forms of memory problems (1) Localized amnesia, (2) Selective amnesia, (3)
Generalized amnesia (4) Continuous amnesia and (5) Systematized amnesia. A rare subtype of
dissociative amnesia is characterized by fugue or amnesia on the run. People in a fugue state may
suddenly flee from their life situations, travel to a new location, assume a new identity, and have amnesia
for personal information and it may show no signs of mental disturbance.
Lastly, the depersonalization disorder is a temporary loss or change in the usual sense of reality in
which people feel detached from themselves and their surroundings. There are treatment of dissociative
disorders that the recurrent or persistent is likely to involve focus on the anxiety and depression
associated with the disorder. Dissociative identity disorder treatment focuses on merging the alternate
identities into a cohesive personality structure. Therapists may attempt to assist patients in uncovering and
working through memories of early childhood trauma and if successful, the person will no longer need to
escape into alternate selves to avoid anxiety.
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 7
MOOD DISORDERS AND SUICIDE

Mood disorders is a psychological disorders characterized by usually severe or prolonged

disturbances of mood. There are major forms of mood disorder the depressive disorders and the bipolar
disorders. The Major Depressive Disorders is a severe mood disorder characterized by major depressive
episodes in the absence of mania or hypomania. It has a common features of depression and these
includes changes in emotional state, motivation and etc. While the Persistent Depressive Disorder is a
chronic depression lasting for at least two years. The chronic major depressive disorder or a chronic but
milder form of depression is called dysthymia.
Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swings between states of extreme elation and
depression. It has two types the Bipolar I disorder that applies to people who have had at least one full
manic episode at some point in their lives and the Bipolar II disorder that applies to people who have had
hypomanic episodes and at least one major depressive episode.
Manic episode is a period of unrealistically heightened euphoria, extreme restlessness, and
excessive activity characterized by disorganized behavior, rapid speech and flight of ideas and etc. while
there are also episodes that are less severe than manic episodes and are not accompanied by the social or
occupational problems associated with full-blown mania and this called as hypomanic episode. This is
usually begins in late adolescence or early adulthood, it is a cyclothymic disorder which it is a type of
cyclical pattern of mild mood swings that last at least two years.
Stress and depression is usually linked to a stressful life events that increase vulnerability for
major depression and bipolar disorder. The classic psychodynamic theory holds that depression represents
anger directed inward, the bipolar disorder represents shifting dominance of the individual’s personality
between the ego and superego.
The Biochemical Factors explain mood disorders that regulates the number of receptors on
receiving neurons where neurotransmitters dock and the brain abnormalities explain mood disorders by
reducing the volume and lower metabolic activity in the areas of the brain involved in regulating thinking
processes, mood, and memory.
In psychodynamic treatment, the traditional psychoanalysis helps depressed people understand
underlying conflicting feelings and turn anger outward instead of inward. There are also antidepressant
drugs that increase the availability of key neurotransmitters in the brain. The lithium and other mood
stabilizers helps reduce mania, stabilize moods, and reduce risk of relapse in bipolar patients and the
bipolar disorder is most commonly treated with mood stabilizing drugs.
Suicide is a death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die and it is a second leading cause
of death among young people aged 15–24. There are many risk factors in suicide and this includes among
middle-aged and older adults, especially males and also women more often attempt suicide but more men
succeed.
The theoretical perspectives on suicide includes (1) Psychodynamic it is an Inward-directed anger
that turns murderous. (2) Sociocultural it is alienation and social isolation. (3) Learning, the lack of
problem-solving skills for handling significant life stress. (4) Social-cognitive, it is a personal
expectancies or modeling (social contagion). And (5) Biological, It is a genetic factors and
neurotransmitter imbalances involving mood-regulating chemical serotonin.
In predicting suicide, people who commit suicide tend to signal their intentions, often quite
explicitly, such as by telling others about their suicidal thoughts. And in understanding suicidal behavior,
three indices are important the (1) suicidal ideation (serious thoughts about committing suicide), (2)
suicidal plans (a detailed method for killing oneself), and (3) suicidal attempts (that are not successful).
Important, too, in learning about risk factors for suicides is the psychological autopsy, in which the
psychological profile of an individual who has committed suicide is reconstructed and examined for
clues.
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 8
EATING AND SLEEP–WAKE DISORDERS

The psychological factors involved in physical malfunctioning specifically, illness and disease.
The bulimia nervosa is an out-of-control eating episodes, or binges, are followed by self-induced
vomiting, excessive use of laxatives, or other attempts to purge (get rid of) the food. In anorexia nervosa,
the person eats nothing beyond minimal amounts of food, so body weight sometimes drops dangerously.
In binge-eating disorder, individuals may binge repeatedly and find it distressing, but they do not attempt
to purge the food.
The obesity is not considered an official disorder in the DSM, but we consider it here because it is
thought to be one of the most dangerous epidemics confronting public health authorities around the world
today. The causes of eating disorders has a social dimensions that is a “Glorification of slenderness” on
the media and it influence family, cultural expectations in beauty standards, dietary restraint and etc. The
biological dimensions studies suggest that relatives of patients with eating disorders are 4 to 5 times more
likely than the general population to develop eating disorders themselves. Low serotonergic in
hypothalamus associated with impulsivity, binging & eating disorders. While the psychological
dimensions is that perfectionism is directed to distorted perception of body image, appearance to others.
Drug Treatments is used of antidepressants effective in treating bulimia, its effectiveness is
measured by reduction in frequency of binging. Tricyclic antidepressants are not effective in a long term.
The psychological treatments, CBT-E (Fairburn, 2008) teach physical consequences of binge eating and
purging, and ineffectiveness of vomiting/laxative abuse. It also focus on altering dysfunctional
thoughts.The prevention attempts are being made to prevent the development of eating disorders. These
will educate people about these disorders and body image.
Night eating syndrome consumes 1/3 or more of their daily intake after evening meal, getting out
of bed at least once a night to have a high-calorie snack. Nocturnal eating syndrome is an individual get
up at night to raid the refrigerator, but don’t wake up. The bariatric surgery is that the stomach is stapled
to create small stomach pouch at base of esophagus, severely limiting food intake. The patients must have
1/more obesity related physical conditions.Gastric bypass operation creates bypass of the stomach, limits
food intake but also absorption of calories.
Sleep-wake disorders has its Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is a part of sleep in which we
dream, has an association with anxiety, overeating, & many other mood disorders (depression). The
Polysomnographic (PSG) evaluation is that sleeping in sleep laboratory with a no. of different devices.
The Electroencephalogram an eye movements, measured by an Electrooculogram, a muscle movements,
measured by an electromyogram; and heart activity, measured by an electrocardiogram.
Insomnia Disorder, difficulty in falling asleep at bedtime, problems staying asleep throughout the
night, or sleep that doesn't result in the person feeling well rested after normal amount of sleep. Primary
insomnia is that sleep problem was not rested to other medical or psychiatric problem and causes
accompanies medical or psychological disorders like pain, physical, discomfort problems in biological
clock control of temperature.
Narcolepsy is an episodes of irresistible attacks of refreshing sleep occurring daily, accompanied
by episodes of brief loss of muscle tone and progress directly to REM sleep, instead of going through the
4 and NREM Stages that preceded it.
Sleep paralysis is a brief after awakening when they can't move or speak, frightening for
individual. Benzodiazepine medications have been helpful for short-term treatment of many of the
dyssomnias, but they must be used carefully or they might cause rebound insomnia, a withdrawal
experience that can cause worse sleep problems after the medication is stopped. Any long-term treatment
of sleep problems should include psychological interventions such as stimulus control and sleep hygiene.
Parasomnias such as nightmares occur during rapid eye movement (or dream) sleep, and sleep terrors and
sleepwalking occur during non-rapid eye movement sleep.
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 9
PHYSICAL DISORDERS AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 10
SEXUAL DYSFUNCTIONS, PARAPHILIC DISORDERS, AND GENDER DYSPHORIA

Gender dysphoria is a psychological disorder in which people experience significant personal

distress or impaired functioning as a result of a conflict between their anatomic sex and their gender
identity. The gender identity is a psychological sense of being female or being male and the transgender
identity is the psychological sense of belonging to one gender while possessing the sexual organs of the
other but not all people with transgender identity have gender dysphoria or any other diagnosable
disorder.
Features of Gender dysphoria is that the diagnosis applies when there is significant distress
associated with having transgender identity. Often begins in childhood and associated with depression can
take different paths: (1) May end by adolescence, with the child becoming more accepting of her or his
gender identity (2) May persist into adolescence or adulthood.
Sex Reassignment Surgery is that surgeons construct external genital organs that closely resemble
opposite sex. Hormone treatments for development of secondary sex characteristics. Postoperative
adjustment more favorable for female to male.
Paraphilic Disorders. The Paraphilias are the unusual or atypical patterns of sexual attraction that
involve sexual arousal in response to atypical stimuli. To be diagnosed with a paraphilic disorder, the
paraphilic behavior: must cause personal distress or impairment in important areas of daily functioning, or
involve behaviors either presently or in the past in which satisfaction of the sexual urge involved harm or
risk of harm to other people.
The exhibitionism is a strong and recurrent urges, fantasies, or behaviors of exposing of one’s
genitals to unsuspecting individuals for the purpose of sexual arousal. Fetishism is a recurrent, powerful
sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors involving inanimate objects, such as an article of clothing. Prefer the
object over a person and unable to become sexually aroused without it. Origins of fetish can usually be
traced back to childhood. While the transvestism is a recurrent and powerful urges, fantasies, or behaviors
in which individuals become sexually aroused by cross-dressing. Usually found among heterosexual men
and cross-dressing typically done in private.
Voyeurism is a strong and recurrent sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors in which the person
becomes sexually aroused by watching unsuspecting people, generally strangers, who are naked,
disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity. Usually masturbates while watching or while fantasizing about
watching. May be the voyeur’s only sexual outlet and prospect of being discovered heightens excitement.
Effects of sexual abuse on children is that typical abuser is a relative or step-relative of the child,
a family friend, or a neighbor. Sexual abuse can inflict great psychological harm, anger, anxiety,
depression, eating disorders, inappropriate sexual behavior, aggression, drug abuse, suicide, PTSD, low
self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, and feelings of detachment.
Sexual masochism is a strong and recurrent sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors in which the
person becomes sexually aroused by being humiliated, bound, flogged, or made to suffer in other ways.
The hypoxyphilia is a person seeks sexual gratification by being deprived of oxygen by means of using a
noose, plastic bag, chemical, or pressure on the chest during masturbation or sexual act. Typically
discontinued before loss of consciousness, but occasional death are reported
Sexual sadism is a recurrent, powerful sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors in which the person
becomes sexually aroused by inflicting physical or psychological suffering or humiliation on another
person. Sadomasochism is a mutually gratifying sexual interactions between partners involving both
sadistic and masochistic acts. A diagnosis of sexual masochism or sadism is appropriate when people
become distressed by their behavior or fantasies, or when urges and fantasies lead to problems with other
people. Other paraphilias include: (1) Telephone scatologia (obscene phone call), (2) Necrophilia
(corpse), (3) Partialism (body part), (4) Zoophilia (animal), (5) Coprophilia (feces), (6) Klismaphilia
(enema), (7) Urophilia (urine).
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 11
SUBSTANCE-RELATED, ADDICTIVE, AND IMPULSE-CONTROL DISORDERS
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 12
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

The DSM group’s personality disorders into three clusters: Cluster A: People who are perceived
as odd or eccentric: paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders. Cluster B: People whose
behavior is overly dramatic, emotional, or erratic: antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic
personality disorders. Cluster C: People who often appear anxious or fearful: avoidant, dependent, and
obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.
Paranoid personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by pervasive suspiciousness.
Interpret other people’s behavior as deliberately threatening or demeaning and overly sensitive to
criticism, whether real or imagined.
Schizoid personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by social isolation. Lack
interest in social relationships and emotions appear shallow or blunted. Schizotypal personality disorder is
a personality disorder that characterized by eccentricities of thought and behavior, but without clearly
psychotic features.
Antisocial personality disorder: A personality disorder characterized by antisocial and
irresponsible behavior and lack of remorse for misdeeds. Diagnosis limited to people 18 years of age or
older and the pattern of antisocial behavior begins in childhood or adolescence.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive
pattern of instability in relationships, self-image, and mood. Frequently includes: lack of control over
impulses, deep sense of emptiness, impulsivity and etc.
Histrionic personality disorder. A personality disorder characterized by excessive emotionality
and an overwhelming need to be the center of attention. The emotions are tend to be: dramatic, shallow,
exaggerated while the Narcissistic personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by inflated
or grandiose sense of self and an extreme need for admiration like self-absorbed, lack empathy for others
and demand to be center of attention.
Avoidant personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by avoidance of social
relationships due to fears of rejection. The dependent personality disorder is a personality disorder
characterized by an excessive need to be taken care of by others.
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder is characterized by excessive orderliness,
perfectionism, rigidity, and need for control.
The Barnum/Forer Effect occurs when vague statements and descriptions are made about
personality in which people believe to be specifically about them and also explains a person acceptance in
horoscopes, fortune telling, and graphology.
There are problems with the classification of personality disorders. The major concerns regarding
personality disorder classification are the appropriateness of categorical versus dimensional model,
Distinguishing personality disorders from other clinical syndromes, Degree of overlap among personality
disorders, Difficulty in distinguishing between normal and abnormal behavior, Confusing labels with
explanations and sexist biases.
In Psychodynamic Perspectives, the Traditional Freudian theory that focused on problems arising
from the Oedipus complex as the foundation for personality disorders. Hans Kohath that argued that what
matters most is how the self develops and whether the person is able to develop self-esteem, values, and a
cohesive and realistic self. Otto Kornberg, the borderline personality as a failure in early childhood to
develop a sense of constancy and unity in one’s image of oneself and others. Margaret Mahler that
explained borderline personality disorder in terms of childhood separation from the mother figure.
 Impulse control disorders is a category of psychological disorders characterized by failure to
control impulses, temptations, or drives resulting in harm to oneself or others.

Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador

Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 13
SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM AND OTHER PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 14
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 15
NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS
Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G. Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: May 17, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 16
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES

In Civil Commitment Laws, the laws have been designed to protect people who display abnormal
behavior. La Fond and Durham (1992) argue that two clear trends in mental health law are evident in the
recent history of the United States. The Liberal Era (the rights of people with mental illness dominated)
and the Neoconservative Era (the rights of people with mental illness have been limited to provide greater
protection to society.
There are criteria for civil commitment (1)The person has a “mental illness” and is in need of
treatment, (2)The person is dangerous to himself or herself or others, or (3) The person is unable to care
for himself, a situation considered a “grave disability.” There are also two types of authority permit the
government to take actions that are against a citizen’s will that is the police power, that the government
takes responsibility for protecting the public health, safety, and welfare and can create laws and
regulations to ensure this protection and the parenspatriae (“state or country as the parent”) power, it is
when citizens are not likely to act in their own best interest
Dangerousness is a controversial concept to describe people with mental illness. It is widely held
misperception that people with mental illness are more dangerous and may differentially affect ethnic
minorities. Mental health professionals also can identify groups of people who are at greater risk than the
general population for being violent but what clinicians cannot yet do is predict with certainty whether a
particular person will or will not become violent.
The Procedural Changes Affecting civil commitment are the Supreme Court and civil
commitment, criminalization, deinstitutionalization and homelessness and the reactions to strict
commitment procedures.
Criminal commitment is the process by which people are held because (1) they have been
accused of committing a crime and are detained in a mental health facility until they can be assessed as fit
or unfit to participate in legal proceedings against them, or (2) they have been found not guilty of a crime
by reason of insanity.
Therapeutic jurisprudence was created with prosecutors and defendants, winners and losers. In
contrast, the mental health system is set up to find solutions to important psychological problems without
placing blame on any parties. Society has long recognized the need to identify criminals who may not be
in control of their behavior and who may not benefit from simple incarceration. The challenge is in trying
to do what may be impossible: determining whether the person knew what she was doing, knew right
from wrong, and could control her behavior. An additional dilemma is the desire, on the one hand, to
provide care to people with mental illness and, on the other, to treat them as responsible individuals.
Competence to stand trial is a person determined to be incompetent to stand trial typically loses
the authority to make decisions and faces commitment. A trial requires a determination of competence;
most people with obvious and severe impairments who commit crimes are never tried.
Mental health professionals as expert witness are judges and juries often have to rely on expert
witnesses, individuals who have specialized knowledge, to assist them in making decisions.
Mental Health Professionals as expert witness. The mental health professionals appear to have
expertise in identifying malingering and in assessing competence. Remember that to malinger is to fake
or grossly exaggerate symptoms, usually to be absolved from blame. Mental Health Professionals also
appear capable of providing reliable information about a person’s competence, or ability to understand
and assist with a defense. There are also rights of research participants and these includes (1) The Right to
be Informed About the Purpose of the Research Study, (2) The Right to Privacy, (3) Right to be Treated
with Respect and Dignity, (4) Right to be Protected from Physical and Mental Harm (5) Right to Choose
or to Refuse to Participate in Research Without, (6) Prejudice and Reprisals, (7) Right to Anonymity in
Report of Study Findings and (8) Right to Safeguarding of Records.