OCR Psychology A Level Book 2 sample

Deviation from ideal mental health Explaining the concept Marie Jahoda (1958) pointed out that we define physical illness in part by looking at the absence of signs of physical health. Physical health is indicated by having correct body temperature, normal skin colour, normal blood pressure, etc., and the absence of these indicates illness. Jahoda suggested we should do the same for mental illness. Jahoda conducted a review of what others had written about good mental health. These are the characteristics that enable an individual to feel happy and free of distress. She identified six categories that were commonly referred to: 1. Self-attitudes, having high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity. 2. Personal growth and self-actualisation, the extent to which an individual develops their full capabilities. 3. Integration, such as being able to cope with stressful situations. 4. Autonomy, being independent and self-regulating. 5. Having an accurate perception of reality. 6. Mastery of the environment, including the ability to function at work and in interpersonal relationships. This deviation from ideal mental health definition proposes that the absence of any one of these criteria indicates abnormality, and therefore potential mental illness. Thinking about the concept Jahoda set out to think about mental health instead of mental illness. However, according to these criteria, most of us are abnormal! Jahoda presented them as ideal criteria and so most of us do not fulfil all of them all the time. The criteria are also quite difficult to measure. For example, it is very difficult to objectively measure someone’s capacity for personal growth or environmental mastery. This means that, although this approach may be an interesting concept, it may not really be useable when it comes to identifying abnormality. This definition is also highly culture-bound. If we apply these criteria to people from non-Western or even non-middle-class social groups, we will most probably find a higher incidence of abnormality. For example, the criterion of self-actualisation (reaching one’s full potential) is relevant to members of individualist cultures but not collectivist cultures, where individuals strive for the greater good of the community rather than for self-centred goals. check your understanding 1. Outline each of the four definitions, each in no more than 50 words. You could do this by identifying two key points for each and then explaining them. 2. Explain what a normal distribution curve is. 3. Which definition explains abnormality from a social viewpoint? Explain your answer. 4. Which definition is most objective? Explain your answer. 5. Identify which definitions could be considered highly culture-bound. Watch films such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and A Beautiful Mind . Both portray the experiences of individuals receiving treatment for disorders in the mid to late 20th century. Consider these films in relation to the information on the previous spread about the history of mental illness, and also in relation to the information on this spread about definitions of abnormality. Failure to function adequately Explaining the concept From an individual’s point of view, abnormality can be judged in terms of not being able to cope with everyday living. This is known as a ‘failure to function adequately’. The ‘functioning’ refers to just going about day-to-day life, such as eating regularly, washing clothes, getting up to go out to a job or other activity, being able to communicate with others, having some control over your life and so on. Not functioning adequately causes distress and suffering for the individual, and/or may cause distress for others. It is important to include ‘distress to others’ because in the case of some mental disorders, the individual may not be distressed at all. People with schizophrenia often lack awareness that anything is wrong but their behaviour may well be distressing to others. Thinking about the concept This definition certainly fits with what many people would consider ‘abnormal’. It recognises the subjective experience of the patient, allowing us to view mental illness from the point of view of the person experiencing it. In addition, ‘failure to function’ is also relatively easy to judge objectively because clinicians can list clearly identifiable behaviours (e.g. can dress self, can prepare meals). However, this approach is related to cultural ideas of how one’s life should be lived. The ‘failure to function’ criterion is likely to result in different diagnoses when applied to people from different cultures, because the standard of one culture is being used to measure another. This may explain why lower-class and non-white patients are more often diagnosed with mental illnesses—because their lifestyles are different from the dominant culture (middle-class clinicians) and this may lead to a judgement of failing to function adequately. Additionally some apparently dysfunctional behaviour can actually be adaptive and functional for the individual. For example, dressing in the opposite gender’s clothes could be considered failing to function adequately. However, cross-dressing helps some people to cope with stress and increases their self-esteem, therefore it is beneficial. Consider the behaviour of males wearing make-up. According to which definitions would this behaviour be considered ‘abnormal’? 13 Background: Defining abnormality