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| Introduction
to Psychopathology
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There is no one definition of abnormal psychology because
the term “abnormal” can not be interpreted in
one common way. There has always existed different definitions
of this notion which have greatly changed across cultures
and time. Today abnormal behavior is identified with a mental
disorder. So, abnormal psychology can be presented as a scientific
study or an area of psychology that investigates behavior
of people, who are not able to adapt to the biological, social
and cultural changes around them. “It remains a philosophical
debate whether the uncertainty of our definition of "abnormality"
is surmountable or is an inherent fuzziness of the field”
(Guntrip, 1973, p. 67). The absence of one definition presumes
some problems in defining the course of treatment, however,
it does not mean that treatment is not possible. The difficulties
of creating one common definition are first of all connected
with the variety of factors which influence the process of
adaptation. These factors include physical state, genetic
peculiarities, ability to socialization, structure of metal
processes, e.t.c.
In order to identify modern goals and objectives of abnormal
psychology it is necessary to find its origins. The roots
of this discipline go deep into ancient times. Plato was first
in the 4th century B.C. who attracted attention to strange
aspect of some people’s behavior. In those times such
“abnormality” was explained by the actions of
evil spirits. However, Plato did not accept this position
and stated that this behavior was caused by the natural madness.
In the Dark Ages evil spirits had been changed into demons
– the person with strange or “abnormal”
behavior was considered to be possessed by demons. This was
the time of Inquisition and about 100,000 people were burned
at the stake, or tortured, or killed to death for this possession
of demons. Later, in the 19th century the idea of demon’s
possession was rethought and transformed. At that time abnormal
behavior was interpreted as a punishment for the person’s
harmful and sinful thoughts and actions (cited in Sharman,
1970).
Today there exist three different models which present their
own patterns of abnormal behavior, its causes and possible
treatments. These models are biological, psychological and
sociocultural. The biological model emphasizes that abnormal
behavior, that is mental disorder in fact, is caused by biological
processes and changes in them. Due to this concept it has
been found that syphilis could lead to psychosis. The background
of this model is the neurotransmitters. “Imbalances
of Neurotransmitters may be excessive production and release
of the neurotransmitter substances into the synapses; may
be a dysfunction in how neurotransmitters are deactivated
and may be a problem with receptors in the postsynaptic neuron”
(Thase, 1985, p. 116). The biological model is based purely
on the scientific evidence and takes into account all biological
peculiarities and possible causes of mental disorders. In
accordance with the biological model mental disorder can be
connected either with genetic predisposition or genotype-environment
interaction. The proponents of this model sort out genetic
influences and environmental influences. Environmental influences,
in their turn, can be divided into shared and non-shared environmental
influences.
The psychological model sees the cause of abnormal behavior
in the social environment and possible family trauma. This
model names such causes as parental psychopathology, trauma,
parenting style, early deprivation, marital divorce, e.t.c.
Parental psychopathology finds reasons of mental disorders
in parents’ behavior. For example, parents who suffer
from depressions, schizophrenia, alcohol or drug abuse are
at high risk to have children with mental disorders. However,
parents’ genetic illnesses will not be necessarily inherited
by their children but the risk is high. Trauma may be caused
by child’s abuse or neglect in family. Sometimes neglect
can have even more serious consequences for the child’s
psyche than abuse. Children who were abused might have social,
emotional and behavioral disorders, language or communicative
difficulties and be aggressive or reserved. It is very important
to work with this childhood trauma because its consequences
may be dangerous, however, effects of some traumas cannot
be still overcome. Parental style is also of great importance
in the psychological style because it forms their child’s
future behavioral and social patterns. Parental style is also
of great importance in the psychological style because it
forms their child’s future behavioral and social patterns.
Parental style can be authoritative, authoritarian, neglectful-uninvolved
and permissive-indulgent. Due to the style chosen it is possible
to predict possible mental disorders the child can have. Early
deprivation can lead to such problems in functioning, as learning,
emotional or behavioral problems. “Many children institutionalized
in infancy or early childhood show severe emotional, behavioral,
and learning problems and are at risk for disturbed attachment
relationships and psychopathology” (Wolfe, 1987, p.
96). The possible way out can become successful adaptation.
The statistics show that children, who were adopted at the
age of 4-6, had an increase in IQ. Nevertheless, this period
can be very difficult for a child and parents should pay great
attention to this factor. Marital divorces or discords are
always an emotional stress for a child. In some cases it can
either lead to mental disorders or have consequences on the
child’s future life. Children adapt their parents’
model of behavior and divorce can be also adapted by them
as a normal behavioral pattern.
The sociocultural model explains mental disorders in the social
or cultural context. The factors that can cause abnormal behavior
can be unemployment, social uncertainty, discrimination and
prejudice, and urban stressors. Recent researches show that
there is a correlation between psychopathologies and the level
of employment or unemployment. “Lower SES families tend
to have more problems/dysfunction because of the stressors
associated with low SES” (Wolfe, 1987, p. 104). It is
interesting to note that underemployed and unemployed people
have practically the same rates of depression. Social uncertainty
and social changes can also lead at first to unstable mental
states and then to mental disorders. The sociocultural model
stresses that the development of mental disorder depends on
the type of discrimination: gender, race or ethnicity and
the strength of stereotypes which prevail in this particular
society. It is also important that women are more influenced
by the problems of discrimination and that is why they have
more changes to suffer from abnormal behavior.
To sum up, abnormal psychology or psychopathology is a comparatively
new scientific discipline. Its main goal and objectives were
formed only in the 20th century, however, its roots we can
find even in ancient times. Plato, for example, identified
main features of abnormal behavior. Today we can not present
one definition of abnormal psychology because the term “abnormal”
can not interpreted in one common way. That is the reason
of existence of three different models of investigation in
this field. These models are biological, psychological and
sociocultural.
References
Guntrip, H. (1973). Psychoanalytic theory, therapy, and the
self. N.Y.:Basic Books.
Sharman, S.L. (1970). A historical background of the development
of nosology in psychiatry and psychology. American Psychologist,
25, 248-253.
Thase, M.E., Frank, E. & Kupfer, D.J. (1985). Biological
processes in major depression. In E.E. Beckman & W.R.
Leber (Eds.), Handbook of depression: Treatment, assessment,
and research. Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Press.
Ullman, L.P. & Krasner, L. (1975). A psychological approach
to abnormal behavior (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Wolfe. D.A.(1987). Child abuse: Implications for child development
and psychopathology. Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage.
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