01 – Introduction to Abnormal Psychology
ABPSY | 2024 - 2025 | NOT FOR SALE
distress (requires clinical
OUTLINE judgment)
1. Understanding Psychopathology
(ex. Antisocial Personality
a. Defining Abnormal Behavior Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa)
b. Characteristics of a Mental
Disorder Disability Impairment in some important
c. Science of Psychopathology area of life
d. Social Contexts
2. The Supernatural Tradition Interference in the normal
a. Early Demonology functioning of the person
b. Stress and Melancholy
c. The Dark Ages Deviance Reaction is outside cultural norms
because it occurs infrequently
3. The Biological Tradition
a. Hippocrates and Galen Deviates from the average
b. The 19th Century
c. The Development of Biological Duration Symptoms must persist for a
Treatments clinically significant period to
4. The Psychological Tradition qualify as a disorder
a. Moral Therapy
b. Asylum Reform and the Decline Helps differentiate temporary
of Moral Therapy stress responses from chronic or
clinical disorders
c. Psychoanalytic Theory
d. Humanistic Theory
e. The Behavioral Model
5. The Scientific Method and an DESCRIBING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
Integrative Approach
Presenting Indicates the problem or reason
Problem why the individual is seeking help
UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOPATHOLOGY Initial complaint of the client
Clinical Description Combination of behaviors,
DEFINING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR thoughts, and feelings that make
up a specific disorder
Psychological Disorder – psychological dysfunction
Prevalence Total number of cases in a
within an individual that causes personal distress or population
disability that is not typical or culturally expected
● No single characteristic can fully define the Point Prevalence: existing at a
given point in time
concept
● Abnormality is not universal Period Prevalence: existing at a
● It must always be evaluated within the context of given period of time interval
culture, society, and environment
All cases (new and old)
Accdg. To the DSM, psychological disorders are Incidence Number of new cases that
develop in a population during a
behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that
specific time period
are unexpected in their cultural context and
associated with present distress and impairment in New cases
functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, pain, or
impairment Course Progression and development of
the disorder
Chronic Course: last a long time /
CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL DISORDER (5D’s) a lifetime
Psychological Breakdown in cognitive, Episodic Course: appear in
Dysfunction emotional, or behavioral distinct episodes / flare-ups
functioning
Time-limited Course: has a
Internal mechanism is unable to definitive duration and typically
perform its usual function resolves after a certain period
(ex. Being happy during a car Onset Initial appearance of the disorder /
accident) how it develops
Personal Distress Must cause clinically significant
1 | Compiled by @studywithky
, Acute Onset: begin suddenly Profession Role Description
Insidious Onset: develop PhD Clinical & Heavy emphasis on
gradually over an extended period Counseling research, statistics,
Psychologists neuroscience, and
Prognosis Anticipated course of a disorder empirically based
study of human
Prognosis is guarded: low behavior
possibility of surviving
Considered a research
Prognosis in good: high possibility degree
of surviving
PsyD Clinical & Similar to a PhD but
Counseling Doctors has less emphasis on
SCIENCE OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY of Psychology research
Mainly focused on
Psychopathology – study of the nature,
clinical training
development, and treatment of mental disorder
● Developmental Psychopathology is the study of RPsy Registered Provide
changes in abnormal behavior Psychologists counseling/therapy,
and work in any area
● Etiology is the study of origins
of psychology within
○ Includes biological, psychological, and social their scope of practice
dimensions
RPm Registered Mainly responsible for
Psychometricians administering and
Scientist-Practitioner Model – mental health
scoring psychological
professionals that take a scientific approach to their tests
work
● Consumer of Science: use the most recent Psychological reports
are often prepared
scientific findings and apply them to their work based on the results
● Evaluator of Science: evaluate their own
assessment and procedures to see whether they Other tasks include
conducting intake
work interviews
● Creator of Science: conduct research that results
to new useful technique and procedures MD Psychiatrists Function as physicians
via prescription of
psychoactive
Etiology – study of origins medications
● Has biological, psychological, and social
dimensions MSW Psychiatric & Focus of training is on
● Eclectic Approach: treatments that do not Non-psychiatric psychotherapy
Social Workers
adhere strictly to one theoretical approach Typically requires 2
● Scientific Method of Treatment: empirical-based years of graduate
approach in treating a disorder study
● Integrative Approach: no single influence ever
Do not receive training
occurs in isolation in psychological
assessment
MN/MSN Psychiatric Nurses Receive training at the
bachelor’s or master’s
level
Has prescription
privileges
SOCIAL CONTEXTS
Social Contexts in Abnormal Psychology
● Cultural Context
○ Norms and values vary across cultures
○ What is considered abnormal in one culture
may be normal in another
○ Ex. Hearing voices might be seen as a spiritual
gift in some cultures but as a symptom of
psychosis in Western contexts
2 | Compiled by @studywithky
ABPSY | 2024 - 2025 | NOT FOR SALE
distress (requires clinical
OUTLINE judgment)
1. Understanding Psychopathology
(ex. Antisocial Personality
a. Defining Abnormal Behavior Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa)
b. Characteristics of a Mental
Disorder Disability Impairment in some important
c. Science of Psychopathology area of life
d. Social Contexts
2. The Supernatural Tradition Interference in the normal
a. Early Demonology functioning of the person
b. Stress and Melancholy
c. The Dark Ages Deviance Reaction is outside cultural norms
because it occurs infrequently
3. The Biological Tradition
a. Hippocrates and Galen Deviates from the average
b. The 19th Century
c. The Development of Biological Duration Symptoms must persist for a
Treatments clinically significant period to
4. The Psychological Tradition qualify as a disorder
a. Moral Therapy
b. Asylum Reform and the Decline Helps differentiate temporary
of Moral Therapy stress responses from chronic or
clinical disorders
c. Psychoanalytic Theory
d. Humanistic Theory
e. The Behavioral Model
5. The Scientific Method and an DESCRIBING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
Integrative Approach
Presenting Indicates the problem or reason
Problem why the individual is seeking help
UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOPATHOLOGY Initial complaint of the client
Clinical Description Combination of behaviors,
DEFINING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR thoughts, and feelings that make
up a specific disorder
Psychological Disorder – psychological dysfunction
Prevalence Total number of cases in a
within an individual that causes personal distress or population
disability that is not typical or culturally expected
● No single characteristic can fully define the Point Prevalence: existing at a
given point in time
concept
● Abnormality is not universal Period Prevalence: existing at a
● It must always be evaluated within the context of given period of time interval
culture, society, and environment
All cases (new and old)
Accdg. To the DSM, psychological disorders are Incidence Number of new cases that
develop in a population during a
behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that
specific time period
are unexpected in their cultural context and
associated with present distress and impairment in New cases
functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, pain, or
impairment Course Progression and development of
the disorder
Chronic Course: last a long time /
CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL DISORDER (5D’s) a lifetime
Psychological Breakdown in cognitive, Episodic Course: appear in
Dysfunction emotional, or behavioral distinct episodes / flare-ups
functioning
Time-limited Course: has a
Internal mechanism is unable to definitive duration and typically
perform its usual function resolves after a certain period
(ex. Being happy during a car Onset Initial appearance of the disorder /
accident) how it develops
Personal Distress Must cause clinically significant
1 | Compiled by @studywithky
, Acute Onset: begin suddenly Profession Role Description
Insidious Onset: develop PhD Clinical & Heavy emphasis on
gradually over an extended period Counseling research, statistics,
Psychologists neuroscience, and
Prognosis Anticipated course of a disorder empirically based
study of human
Prognosis is guarded: low behavior
possibility of surviving
Considered a research
Prognosis in good: high possibility degree
of surviving
PsyD Clinical & Similar to a PhD but
Counseling Doctors has less emphasis on
SCIENCE OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY of Psychology research
Mainly focused on
Psychopathology – study of the nature,
clinical training
development, and treatment of mental disorder
● Developmental Psychopathology is the study of RPsy Registered Provide
changes in abnormal behavior Psychologists counseling/therapy,
and work in any area
● Etiology is the study of origins
of psychology within
○ Includes biological, psychological, and social their scope of practice
dimensions
RPm Registered Mainly responsible for
Psychometricians administering and
Scientist-Practitioner Model – mental health
scoring psychological
professionals that take a scientific approach to their tests
work
● Consumer of Science: use the most recent Psychological reports
are often prepared
scientific findings and apply them to their work based on the results
● Evaluator of Science: evaluate their own
assessment and procedures to see whether they Other tasks include
conducting intake
work interviews
● Creator of Science: conduct research that results
to new useful technique and procedures MD Psychiatrists Function as physicians
via prescription of
psychoactive
Etiology – study of origins medications
● Has biological, psychological, and social
dimensions MSW Psychiatric & Focus of training is on
● Eclectic Approach: treatments that do not Non-psychiatric psychotherapy
Social Workers
adhere strictly to one theoretical approach Typically requires 2
● Scientific Method of Treatment: empirical-based years of graduate
approach in treating a disorder study
● Integrative Approach: no single influence ever
Do not receive training
occurs in isolation in psychological
assessment
MN/MSN Psychiatric Nurses Receive training at the
bachelor’s or master’s
level
Has prescription
privileges
SOCIAL CONTEXTS
Social Contexts in Abnormal Psychology
● Cultural Context
○ Norms and values vary across cultures
○ What is considered abnormal in one culture
may be normal in another
○ Ex. Hearing voices might be seen as a spiritual
gift in some cultures but as a symptom of
psychosis in Western contexts
2 | Compiled by @studywithky
