PSYC 311 - STUDY UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
 INTRODUCTION
• Psychopathology: ‘psyche’ (mind or soul) + ‘pathology’
(knowledge of disease or illness) = the study of illnesses of
the mind.
• Psychological disorder: Psychological dysfunction,
associated with distress and impairment / deviating
functioning
 CRITERIA FOR
A B N O R M A L B E H AV I O U R

Statistical deviance

Personal distress

Maladaptiveness
 BEST DEFINITION

Abnormal behavior = Dysfunctional behavior (maladaptive,

distress, ineffective, harmful, inappropriate) relative to a
specific context (e.g culture, gender, age)
 IMPORTANT!

Abnormal behaviour only becomes a

psychological disorder when:

• longer duration
• long term negative effect
• high intensity
• person not able to adjust the behaviour
on his/her own
 CLASSIFIC ATION

Two classification systems:

International Classification of
Disease (ICD)
• WHO: All diseases +
psychological disorders.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

of Mental Disorders (DSM)
• APA: Only psychological
disorders.

Aim of the 2 systems:

• Clinically useful categories and
criteria.
• Consensus and agreed
standards.
 SOLUTIONS FOR CRITICISMS OF THE
DSM

• Dimensional approach recognizes the continuum of abnormal behaviour

• Holistic model that investigates alternative perspectives on mental health
• John Hopkins model:
• Disease- general medical illness on the brain
• Dimensions- emphasis on cognitive and emotional vulnerabilities
• Behaviour – Patterns of behaviour such as substance abuse.
• Life story- life experiences and trauma
 AETIOLOGY

• Aetiology= answers the question why people develop

psychological disorders.
üUnderstand the factors that contribute to the development of
the disorder
üInforms decisions about treatment
üInforms preventative measures
üHelps with classification and categorization of disorders
üStimulates further research
 AETIOLOGY CONTINUES

Cannot provides us with direct answers about the causes

of disorders:
• Human behaviour= complex
• Disorders caused by multiple factors.
• Causal factors change over the lifespan
• Different causal routes exist for the same disorder =
equifinality (e.g. eating disorders)
• Same causal route may develop into different disorders=
multifinality (e.g. parenting styles)
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL
 CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON
MENTAL HEALTH
“Culture defines normality, and it sanctions idioms of
distress”
Culture can be:
• Pathogenic= directly causing mental disorders
• Pathofacilitative= promoting incidence of mental disorders
• Pathoselective= influence reaction patterns that results in mental disorders
• Pathoplastic= shaping the symptoms of mental disorders
• Patho-elaborating= exaggerating behaviour associated with mental disorders
• Pathoreactive= influencing society’s reaction to mental disorders
 CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND
COMPETENCE

CULTURAL COMPETENCE CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

• =ability of health care
providers to understand and
respond effectively to cultural
and linguistic needs of the
patient.
• =psychotherapy that takes into
account the cultural
background and beliefs of the
patient.
• May adapt techniques to fit
better with the culture of the
client.
• Incorporate cultural values and
beliefs.

See Table 1.7 Indigenous African

aetiological explanations
AFRIC AN MODEL OF
PERSONALITY

Supreme
power

Ancestors

The body:
Physical
Psychological
Spiritual

Environment
Family
Community