Understanding Abnormal Psychology

Revision sheet excerpt

Course Outline

  1. Definition of Abnormal Psychology
  2. Historical Perspectives
  3. Classification Systems
  4. Theoretical Approaches
  5. Major Disorder Categories
  6. Assessment Methods
  7. Treatment Modalities
  8. Ethical and Legal Issues
  9. Current Trends
  10. Future Directions

1. Definition of Abnormal Psychology

Key Concepts & Definitions

  • Abnormal Psychology: The branch of psychology focused on studying, diagnosing, and treating mental disorders, especially patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion that deviate from societal norms.

  • Mental Disorder: A syndrome marked by clinically significant disturbances in cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior, impairing functioning.

  • Deviance: Behavior, thoughts, or emotions that differ markedly from societal or cultural norms.

  • Maladaptiveness: Behavior that interferes with an individual’s ability to function effectively in daily life.

  • Statistical Rarity: Behaviors or traits that are infrequent within a population, often used as a criterion for abnormality.

  • Distress: Significant emotional pain or suffering experienced by the individual, often associated with mental disorders.

Essential Points

Read the full sheet →

Quiz preview

1. What is the definition of abnormal psychology?

2. What is a primary focus of abnormal psychology?

3. Who was the psychiatrist responsible for developing an early system of classifying mental disorders based on symptom patterns, which laid the groundwork for modern diagnostic systems?

Take the quiz (9 questions) →

Flashcards preview

Abnormal Psychology — definition?

Study of mental disorders, deviations, distress, impairment.

Abnormal Psychology — focus?

Study, diagnosis, treatment of mental disorders.

Historical Views — shift?

From supernatural to biological and humane approaches.

Mental Disorder — definition?

Significant disturbances impairing functioning.

Classification Systems — examples?

DSM and ICD provide standardized diagnostic criteria.

Deviance — concept?

Behaviors or thoughts differing from norms.

See all 10 flashcards →

Frequently asked questions

What does the revision sheet on Understanding Abnormal Psychology cover?

The revision sheet covers the essential concepts of Understanding Abnormal Psychology. It is organized by topic to facilitate learning and memorization, with key definitions, explanations and summaries.

Read the full sheet →

How many questions are in the Understanding Abnormal Psychology quiz?

The quiz contains 9 multiple-choice questions with detailed corrections and explanations for each answer. Ideal for testing your knowledge and identifying gaps.

Take the quiz (9 questions) →

How to study Understanding Abnormal Psychology with flashcards?

Revizly offers 10 interactive flashcards on Understanding Abnormal Psychology. Each card presents a question on the front and the answer on the back, enabling active and effective revision based on spaced repetition.

See all 10 flashcards →

Similar courses

Create your own sheets from your courses

Import your PDF or paste your course, AI generates sheets, quizzes and flashcards in 30 seconds.