31/01/2022

Objectives

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

Module 1
• Describe key concepts, principles and overarching themes in
psychology;
Abnormal Behavior in • Summarize important aspects of history of psychology including
key figures, central concerns, methods used and theoretical
Historical Context conflicts.

Think about this..

 Using the chat box, name 3 characteristics of

being “ABNORMAL:”
 How did you feel and realize about your
classmates’ answers?

WHO AND WHAT IS

ABNORMAL?

1
 31/01/2022

Myths and Misconceptions About Abnormal Behavior Stigma: The Greatest Opponent (Kring & Johnson, 2018)

• No Single Definition of Psychological Abnormality

• Stigma refers to the destructive beliefs and attitudes held by a society
• No Single Definition of Psychological Normality that are ascribed to groups considered different in some manner, such
as people with psychological disorders.
• Psychology Disorder v. Mental illness

Many Myths Are Associated With Mental Illness

– Lazy, crazy, dumb
– Weak in character
– Dangerous to self or others
– Mental illness is a hopeless situation

What is a Psychological Disorder? Definition of Abnormal Behavior (cont.)

• Psychological Dysfunction
– Breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral
functioning
• Personal Distress
– Difficulty performing appropriate and expected
roles
– Impairment is set in the context of a person’s
background
• Atypical or Not Culturally Expected Response
Figure 1.1
– Reaction is outside cultural norms The criteria defining a psychological disorder

2
 31/01/2022

Abnormal Behavior Defined DSM - 5 Definition - 2013

• A Psychological Dysfunction Associated With • A mental disorder is a syndrome characterized by clinically

Distress or Impairment in Functioning That is not a significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional
regulation or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the
Typical or Culturally Expected Response psychological, biological, or developmental processes
• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) underlying mental functioning. Mental disorders are usually
associated with significant distress or disability in social,
– DSM Contains Diagnostic Criteria plus Subtypes occupational, or other important activities. An expectable or
and Specifiers culturally appropriate response to a common stress or loss,
such as death of a loved one, is not a mental disorder. Socially
• Psychopathology is the Scientific Study of deviant behavior (e.g., political, religious, or sexual) and
conflicts that are primarily between individuals and society are
Psychological Disorders
not mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict results from
a dysfunction in the individual, as described above.
– DSM-5, p. 20.

What is PSYCHOPATHOLOGY The Science of Psychopathology

• Mental Health Professionals

– The Ph.D.: Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists
Psychopathology is the
– The Psy.D.: Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists
scientific study of psychological • “Doctors of Psychology”

disorders. – M.D.’s: Psychiatrists (medications)

• Trained mental health professionals range from • Child or Adult Board Certified – extra training
clinical and counseling psychologists to psychiatrists – M.S.W.’s: Psychiatric and non-psychiatric social workers
and psychiatric social workers and nurses. Each – MN/MSN’s: Psychiatric nurses
profession requires a specific type of training.
– LPC - Licensed Mental Health/Professional Counselor

• United by the Scientist-Practitioner Framework

3
 31/01/2022

Psychology Training Models Dimensions of the Scientist-Practitioner Model (cont.)

• Boulder Model – 1948

• Ph.D. – Scientist –Practitioner (4-5+ years of training)

– Producers of Research
– Consumers of Research

– Evaluators of Their Work Using Empirical Methods

– Teachers/Faculty

• Vail Model - 1973

• Psy.D. – Professional Practitioner (4-5+ years of training)

– Practice focus

– Consumer of research Figure 1.2

Functioning as a scientist-practitioner
– Empirical validated methods

– Teachers/Faculty

Dimensions of the Scientist-Practitioner Model (cont.) Clinical Description

• Begins with the Presenting Problem

• Description Aims to

– Distinguish clinically significant dysfunction from common human

experience

• Describe Prevalence and Incidence of Disorders

• Describe Onset of Disorders

– Acute vs. insidious onset

• Describe Course of Disorders

Figure 1.3 – Episodic, time-limited, or chronic course

Three major categories make up the study and discussion of psychological disorders. • Other features (e.g. age, developmental stage, ethnicity, race)

• Add: Subtypes and Specifiers – DSM 5

4
 31/01/2022

Causation, Treatment, and Outcome Historical Conceptions of Abnormal Behavior

• What Factors Contribute to the Development of Psychopathology? • Major Psychological Disorders Have Existed

– Study of etiology – In all cultures

• How Can We Best Improve the Lives of People Suffering From – Across all time periods
Psychopathology? • The Causes and Treatment of Abnormal Behavior Varied Widely
– Study of treatment development – Across cultures
– Includes pharmacologic, psychosocial, and/or combined – Across time periods
treatments
– As particularly as a function of prevailing paradigms or world views
• How Do We Know That We Have Alleviated Psychological Suffering?
• Three Dominant Traditions Include: Supernatural, Biological, and
– Study of treatment outcome - “Evidence Based Treatment” Psychological

– Limited in specifying actual causes of disorders

The Supernatural Tradition The Biological Tradition

• Deviant Behavior as a Battle of “Good” vs. Evil • Hippocrates: Abnormal Behavior as a Physical Disease
– Deviant behavior was believed to be caused by demonic – Hysteria “The Wander Uterus”
possession, witchcraft, sorcery
• Galen Extends Hippocrates Work
– Treatments included exorcism, torture, beatings, and crude
surgeries – Treatments remained crude

• The Moon and the Stars • Galenic-Hippocratic Tradition

– Paracelsus and lunacy – Foreshadowed modern views linking abnormality with brain
chemical imbalances

5
 31/01/2022

The 19th Century Consequences of the Biological Tradition

• General Paresis (Syphilis) and the Biological Link With Madness • Mental Illness = Physical Illness, such as “nerves” or “chemical
imbalance”
– Associated with several unusual psychological and behavioral
symptoms

– Pasteur discovered the cause – A bacterial microorganism

– Led to penicillin as a successful treatment

– Bolstered the view that mental illness = physical illness and should
be treated as such

• John Grey and the Reformers

The Psychological Tradition Psychoanalytic Theory

• The Rise of Moral Therapy • Freudian Theory of the Structure and Function of the Mind

– Involved more humane treatment of institutionalized patients • The Structure of the Mind

– Encourage and reinforced social interaction – Id (pleasure principle; illogical, emotional, irrational)

• Proponents of Moral Therapy – Ego (reality principle; logical and rational)

– Superego (moral principles; keeps Id and Ego in balance)
– Dorothea Dix
• Defense Mechanisms: When the Ego Loses the Battle with the Id and
– Philippe Pinel and Jean-Baptiste Pussin Superego
– William Tuke followed Pinel’s lead in England – Displacement & denial
• Reasons for the Falling Out of Moral Therapy – Rationalization & reaction formation
• Emergence of Competing Alternative Psychological Models – Projection, repression, and sublimation
• Psychosexual Stages of Development
– Oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages

6
 31/01/2022

Later Developments in Psychoanalytic Thought

The Past: Abnormal Behavior and

the Psychoanalytic Tradition (cont.) • Anna Freud and Self-Psychology

– Emphasized the influence of the ego in defining behavior

• Melanie Klein, Otto Kernberg, and Object Relations Theory

– Emphasized how children incorporate (introject) objects

– Examples include images, memories, and values of significant

others (objects)
• The Neo-Freudians: Departures From Freudian Thought

– Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, Erich Fromm, and Erik
Erickson

– De-emphasized the sexual core of Freud’s theory

Figure 1.4
Freud’s structure of the mind

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: The “Talking” Cure Humanistic Theory

• Unearth the Hidden Intrapsychic Conflicts (“The Real Problems”) • Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers
• Therapy Is Often Long Term • Major Themes

• Techniques Include Free Association and Dream Analysis – That people are basically good

• Examine Transference and Counter-Transference Issues – Humans strive toward self-actualization

• Little Evidence for Efficacy • Humanistic Therapy

– Therapist conveys empathy and unconditional positive regard

– Minimal therapist interpretation

7
 31/01/2022

The Behavioral Model The Beginnings of Behavior Therapy

• Derived from a Scientific Approach to the Study of Psychopathology • Reactionary Movement Against Psychoanalysis and Non-Scientific
Approaches
• Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and Classical Conditioning
• Early Pioneers
– Classical conditioning is a ubiquitous form of learning
– Joseph Wolpe – Systematic desensitization
– Conditioning involves a contingency between neutral and
• Edward Thorndike, B. F. Skinner, and Operant Conditioning
unconditioned stimuli
– Another ubiquitous form of learning
– Conditioning was extended to the acquisition of fear
– Most voluntary behavior is controlled by the consequences that
follow behavior
• Learning Traditions Greatly Influenced the Development of Behavior
Therapy
– Behavior therapy tends to be time-limited and direct
– Strong evidence supporting the efficacy of behavior therapies

Behavioral-Cognitive The Present: An Integrative Approach

• Albert Ellis – Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy – RET/REBT – 1950’s • Psychopathology Is Multiply Determined
- It is what we think that causes us to be disturbed
• Unidimensional Accounts of Psychopathology Are Incomplete

• Albert Bandura – Social Learning Theory – 1960 (vicarious learning) & • Must Consider Reciprocal Relations Between
Social Modeling
– Biological, psychological, social, and experiential factors

• Aaron (Tim) Beck MD – Cognitive Therapy (1960 & 70); David Burns, • Defining Abnormal Behavior is Also Complex, Multifaceted, and Has
MD - Cognitive distortions Evolved

• The Supernatural Tradition Has No Place in a Science of Abnormal

• Arnold Lazarus – Multimodal Therapy – 1970’s – 7 domains to address Behavior
in assessment and treatment
– BASIC- ID; Behavior, Affect, Sensation, Imagery, Cognitive,
Interpersonal, and Drug (physical)

8
 31/01/2022

Warning Signs – Adults Warning Signs – Younger Children

– Confused thinking
– Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability) • Changes in school performance
– Feelings of extreme highs and lows • Poor grades despite strong efforts
– Excessive fears, worries, and anxieties • Excessive worry or anxiety ( i.e. refusal to go to
– Social withdrawal bed/school)
– Dramatic changes in eating and sleeping habits
• Hyperactivity – excessive
– Strong feelings of anger
• Persistent nightmares
– Delusions or hallucinations
– Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities • Persistent disobedience or aggression
– Suicidal thoughts • Frequent temper tantrums
– Denial of obvious problems
– Numerous unexplained physical ailments
– Substance abuse

Warning Signs – Older Children & Pre-

Adolescents
• Substance abuse
• Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
• Change in sleeping and/or eating habits
• Excessive complaints for physical ailments
• Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by
poor appetite or thoughts of death
• Frequent outbursts of anger