What is Abnormal?

Question 1

Empirical method to study

Answer 1

Description (classification, diagnosis) Causation, Maintenance, treatment

Question 2

History of mental illness

Answer 2

Mentally ill = insanity, madness. Similar to todays diagnoses of psychosis, schizophrenia, and dementia

Question 3

Current Mental Illness Diagnosis

Answer 3

400+ categories of mental disorders
Listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems (ICD)

Question 4

Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders

Answer 4

o in adults 32-48 %
o before age 21: 35-49 %
o Life-time prevalence of any mental disorder: 45%
o 7.3 million Australians aged 16-85 years experienced an anxiety, affective or substance use disorder at some point in their lifetime

Question 5

Treatment

Answer 5

Large number of people suffer from mental disorders who receive no treatment
o Only about 1/3 of these people received help Highest % sought treatment: Schizophrenia 48%

Question 6

DSM Definition of Mental Disorder

Answer 6

• A clinically significant behavioural or psychological syndrome or pattern
• … associated with present distress or disability or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom.
• … must not be merely an expectable and culturally sanctioned response to a particular event, for example, the death of a loved one.
• … whatever its original cause, it must currently be considered a manifestation of a behavioural, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the individual

Question 7

Today’s Definition

Answer 7

o Dysfunction internal to the individuals

o Seen as socially unaccepted/harmful

Question 8

What discipline studies the prevalence of mental disorder?

Answer 8

Psychiatric epidemiology

Question 9

What is prevalence of a disorder?

Answer 9

What proportion of population has a diagnosable disorder within specified time period.

Question 10

What are the three types of prevalence?

Answer 10

Point-prevalence (e.g. right now) One-year prevalence (e.g. in 2007) Lifetime prevalence

Question 11

What is incidence of a disorder?

Answer 11

What proportion of healthy individuals will develop the disorder within a specified time period.

Question 12

What is the lifetime prevalence of any mental disorder among Australians?

Answer 12

45% or 7.3 million Australians aged 16-85 experience an anxiety, affective or substance use disorder in their lifetime.