Disorders

INTRODUCTION

Defining Abnormal Behaviour

As we launch out on this our investigation of Somatoform Disorders, it must be deemed important to have some idea regarding what psychologists see a 'disorder' and why. Even before this, however, we must grasp the concept of abnormal behaviour as it leads to the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of a disorder.

There have been so many definitions offered regarding abnormal behaviour that they have been classified as follows:

a) The Conceptual Definitions: These define abnormal behaviour as, "A deviation from what is considered normal or most prevalent in the sociocultural context" (Sue, Sue, and Sue 1997). Here, the basis of the diagnosis of normality or abnormality is found by the use of statistical data, which will highlight the most common behaviour patterns (labeling them as 'normal'), and isolating the least common ones (referring to those as 'abnormal'). It is said that these statistics form the basis for diagnosing a mental disorder.

b) The Practical Definitions are based on clinical standards regarding the effect of the behaviour on the person exhibiting it and others around him or her. This seems logical because it is these effects that bring the problem to the attention of medical doctors and psychologists.

c) Integrated Definitions: This refers to a particular set of definitions of abnormal psychology that carry different implications. The first states that there is no such thing as mental illness but "problems of living" (Thomas Szasz, 1987). The second definition states that abnormal behaviour occurs where there is a, "Failure of a mental mechanism to perform a natural function for which it was designed by evolution" (Wakefield, 1992).

d) The DSM-IV Definition describes abnormal behaviour as that which departs from some norm and that harms the affected individual and others.

NOTE!

The diagnosis of a disorder will only be made if a particular abnormal behaviour pattern has been in existence consistently over a specific time-period.

Somatoform Disorders are diagnosed in the face of physical symptoms that seem as if they are part of a general medical condition, however no general medical condition, other mental disorder, or substance is present (http://www.askjeeves.com).