Abnormal Psychology is often misunderstood as a field of psychology because it deals with behavior that "creates a problem for an individual or society" -- and hence, the question immediately arises as to just what is "abnormal" and what is "normal"? The AP Psychology 7th Edition (Sharpsteen, et al., 2005) text suggests that abnormal behavior is "maladaptive or pathological behavior" and before determining whether a behavior is abnormal or not, the "total environment and impact of a person's behavior" must be taken into consideration. Moreover, abnormal psychology does not attempt to link "normal and abnormal" with the concepts of "good and bad," Kendra Cherry explains. Abnormal psychology deals with "psychopathology and abnormal behavior" covering a wide swath of disorders, including sexual deviation, depression, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, to name a few (Cherry, 2008).
The History and Evolution of Abnormal Psychology into a Scientific Discipline
In 800 B.C., Homer believed that mental illness results when God "takes a mind away," according to Dr. Keith Millis at Northern Illinois University. Millis explains that in that same time period Asclepius, an "eminent physician," developed several approaches to treatment; he became "revered as a God of healing" and indeed, numerous temples were built in his name and in his honor. Later, a 5th century B.C. doctor named Hippocrates was among the early proponents of "somatogenic hypothesis," which author Sharpsteen describes as a theory that when there is something amiss with the "soma" (the physical body) then thought and behavior will be disturbed (p. 177). Hence, the idea that deviant behavior may be caused by problems with physical health was launched, the author explains., in the Middle Ages in Europe, Hippocrates' model was attacked and rejected; society believed...
, 2007). Substance abuse is a serious problem and is linked most often to individuals with personality disorders, which are named in the next section. Personality Disorders. Personality disorders, as defined in Kring et al., are a "heterogeneous group of disorders defined by long-standing, pervasive and inflexible patterns of behavior and inner experience that deviate from the expectations of a person's culture (Kring et al., 2007, 387). The DSM-IV-TR classifies 10
Clinical Psychology Dissertation - Dream Content as a Therapeutic Approach: Ego Gratification vs. Repressed Feelings An Abstract of a Dissertation Dream Content as a Therapeutic Approach: Ego Gratification vs. Repressed Feelings This study sets out to determine how dreams can be used in a therapeutic environment to discuss feelings from a dream, and how the therapist should engage the patient to discuss them to reveal the relevance of those feelings, in their present,
Abstract Phobias are a kind of anxiety disorder that can make an individual to experience extreme irrational fear regarding a situation, object, or living creature. Phobias should not be confused with normal fears since phobias are linked to a particular situation or object and they are persistent for 6 or more months. In this paper, we will describe what a phobia is and offer the differentiation of phobias from normal fear.
Psychological Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder Background and History of Disorder DSM 5 diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder Severity of the condition Table for DSM 5 ASD Diagnosis Approaches to Treatment of ASD Background and History of Disorder For this research, the mental illness that is generally visible in children has been chosen, which is Autism Spectrum Disorder. This is a mental problem that is seen in growing children which essentially represents a brain dysfunction and has the
Schizophrenia on the Mind and Body An Analysis of the Etiology of Schizophrenia and Its Impact on the Mind and Body Perhaps no other human condition has received so much publicity, but remains so misunderstood by the general public as schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is widely believed to be associated with multiple personalities and other acute symptoms that would make sufferers readily apparent; however, the reality of the condition is that people can
Abnormal Psych There are several barriers to treatment that someone with schizophrenia might encounter. Those barriers can be loosely classified as personal, institutional, and social, although these three areas often intersect. Stigmas and a lack of understanding of the disease remain key barriers to treatment. Schizophrenia is a misunderstood condition, which is one of the reasons why there may be social impediments to a person seeking treatment. Although knowledge has increased exponentially
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