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Psychological disorders
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Psychological Services Center - LSU

 http://www.lsu.edu/psychology/psc/
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Ch. 14: Psychological

Disorders
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Mental Illness
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Early Explanations of Mental Illness
 In ancient times holes were cut in an ill person’s head to let out
evil spirits in a process called trepanning.

 Hippocrates: mental illness came from an imbalance in the

body’s four humors (the first to ascribe it to an imbalance in the
body, not the supernatural)

 In the Middle Ages, the mentally ill were labeled as witches.

 Early Greeks identified Hysteria as a uniquely female illness

which was caused by the uterus wandering around to
different parts of the body.
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Definitions of Abnormality

 Psychopathology: the study of abnormal behavior

 Is being “abnormal” intrinsically bad?
 Statistically rare
 Deviant from social norms

 Psychological disorders: any pattern of behavior that 1.

causes people significant distress, 2. causes them to harm
others, or 3. harms their ability to function in daily life
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Definitions of Abnormality

 Situational context: the social or environmental setting of a

person’s behavior
 Context often determines if something is or is not abnormal or
pathological; social norms change over time.
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Definitions of Abnormality

 Subjective discomfort: emotional distress or emotional pain

 Maladaptive: anything that does not allow a person to function

within or adapt to the stresses and everyday demands of life
 E.g., maladaptive coping skills
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Definitions of Abnormality

 Sociocultural Perspective
 Cultural relativity: the need to consider the unique characteristics of
the culture in which behavior takes place
 Culture-bound syndromes: disorders found only in particular
cultures
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Biology and Psychopathology

 Biological model: model of explaining behavior as caused by

biological changes in the chemical, structural, or genetic
systems of the body
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Psychological Viewpoints of
Psychopathology

 Psychoanalytic theorists assume that abnormal behavior stems

from repressed conflicts and urges that are fighting to become
conscious.
 Trying to counteract inappropriate/unacceptable impulses
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Psychological Viewpoints of
Psychopathology
 Behaviorists see abnormal behavior as learned.

 Cognitive theorists see abnormal behavior as coming from

irrational beliefs and illogical patterns of thought.

 Many clinicians take a cognitive-behavioral approach:

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DSM-IV-TR

 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, Text Revision

is a manual of psychological disorders and their symptoms.

 DSM-V
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Types of Disorders

 There are five axes in the DSM-IV-TR:

 Clinical disorders (all psych disorders except personality)
 Personality disorders and intellectual disability
 General medical conditions (including genetic causes of above)
 Psychosocial and environmental problems
 Global assessment of functioning.

 Over 1/5 of all adults over age eighteen meet criteria for a
mental disorder in any given year.
 Leading cause of disability in the US and Canada
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Labels: good or bad?
Pro Con
 Convey set of info to other  Stigma
professionals  Self
 Research  Others/society

 Sense of community for some  Historical prejudice –

(e.g. Aspergers) “pseudopatients” and
diagnostic overshadowing
 Qualify for service provision
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Causes of abnormality
Different areas of psychology have different explanations:

 Biological: biological changes in the chemical, structural, or

genetic systems of the body

 Psychoanalytic: repressed conflicts and urges that are fighting to

become conscious.

 Behaviorists: abnormal behavior as learned.

 Cognitive: irrational beliefs and illogical patterns of thought.

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Classifying psychological
disorders: DSM-IV-TR
There are five axes in the DSM-IV-TR.

Axis I: is a clinical syndrome present?

Axis II: is a personality disorder or mental retardation present?

Axis III: is a general medical condition also present?

Axis IV: are psychosocial or environmental problems also present?

Axis V: what the Global Assessment of this person’s functioning?

Remember: All behavior
occurs on a continuum.
You’re probably OK! LSU Psychological Services Center
psc@lsu.edu
578-1494

LSU Mental Health Services

http://www.shc.lsu.edu/mhs_about.html
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Eating disorders
 Two Major Types of DSM-IV Eating Disorders
 Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
 Both involve severe disruptions in eating behavior
 Both involve extreme fear and apprehension about gaining
weight
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Eating disorders
 Bulimia Nervosa: Overview and Defining Features
 Binge Eating- Hallmark of Bulimia
 Binge- Eating excessive amounts of food
 Eating is perceived as uncontrollable
 Compensatory Behaviors
 Purging- Self-induced vomiting, diuretics, laxatives
 Some exercise excessively, whereas others fast
 DSM-IV Subtypes of Bulimia
 Purging subtype- Most common subtype (e.g., vomiting,
laxatives)
 Nonpurging subtype (e.g., excess exercise, fasting)
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Eating disorders
 Bulimia Nervosa Associated Features:
 Most are overly concerned with body shape, fear of gaining
weight
 Most have comorbid psychological disorders
 Purging methods can result in severe medical problems
 Most are within 10% of target body weight
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Eating disorders
 Anorexia Nervosa: Overview and Defining Features
 Severe Weight Loss- Hallmark of Anorexia
 Intense fear of obesity and losing control over eating
 Anorexics show a relentless pursuit of thinness, often beginning
with dieting
 Defined as 15% below expected weight
 DSM-IV Subtypes of Anorexia
 Restricting subtype- limit caloric intake via diet and fasting
 Binge-eating-purging subtype: about 50% of anorexics
 Associated Features
 Most show marked disturbance in body image
 Methods of weight loss can have severe life threatening
medical consequences
 Most are comorbid for other psychological disorders
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Eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa
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Eating disorders
 Binge-Eating Disorder: Overview and Defining Features
 Recently added to the DSM-5 from the Appendix to an actual
disorder
 Engage in food binges, but do not engage in compensatory
behaviors
 Endorse a loss of control
 Associated Features:
 Many persons with binge-eating disorder are obese
 Share similar concerns as anorexics and bulimics regarding
shape and weight
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Eating disorders
 Bulimia and Anorexia: Facts and Statistics
 Bulimia
 Majority are female, with onset around 16 to 19 years of age
 Lifetime prevalence is about 1.1% for females, 0.1% for males
 Tends to be chronic if left untreated
 Anorexia
 Majority are female and white, from middle-to-upper middle
class families
 Likely to come from competitive environments
 Usually develops around age 13 or early adolescence
 Tends to be more chronic and resistant to treatment than
bulimia
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Eating disorders
 Causes of Bulimia and Anorexia: Toward and Integrative
Model
 Media and Cultural Considerations
 Cultural imperative for thinness translates into dieting
 Standards of ideal body size change over time
 Psychological and Behavioral Considerations
 Low sense of personal control and self-confidence
 Food restriction often leads to a preoccupation with food
 An Integrative Model
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Eating Disorders
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Eating disorders

 Anorexia (to 5’30”)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyPchtvEBNM

 Bulimia (on your own only if you want more info)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87P2loH02E8
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Eating disorders
 Western culture tends to over-emphasize thin body image
more than other cultures.

 Culture and economics play a large role in defining what is

considered attractive
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Eating Disorders