Clinical Psychology is the study of mental disorders, how they may arise and how

to treat them effectively.

Social norm definition of Abnormality
How we are expected to behave
Considered abnormal when behaviour/actions goes against what society deems
normal.
E.g talking to yourself
It depends on the culture the person lives.
It doesnt have a cut off point
Evaluation
Takes into account desirability
It depends on what the culture defines as normal
It is a way of social control
Subjective qualitative data
Changes over time
Statistical definition of abnormality
A normal distribution curve shows the mean number of population in the middle
(bell shaped curve)
50% less and 50% more
2.5% of population falls in the extremes
Use of standard deviation to categorise
2 SDs more or less is considered abnormal
Evaluation
Doesnt take into account desirability
Cut off point useful to identify who needs treatment
People that need treatment may be excluded
Social control (deciding where cut off point should be)
Its objective quantitative data
1 in 4 people have mental disorders so its not unusual
Under-inclusive, depression and anxiety are not considered
Comparison
Both
Under-inclusive
Statistical if falls within 2SDs dont get diagnosed
Social Needs to stand out to consider abnormal (depression, anxiety, eating
disorders dont)
Over-inclusive
Statistical High IQ
Social Behaviour may stand out
Power to define whats normal comes from others

Differences
Social norms can take into account desirability, statistical cant
Social is easier to be identified as abnormal, statistical you have to carry out
tests
Statistical more valid, social subjective
Define reliability in clinical psychology
Same diagnosis with same symptoms
Use same testing tools to make decision
If using same tools should give same diagnosis if symptoms are the same
Issues
Clinicians dont agree on diagnosis
Patient doesnt describe symptoms first hand
Symptoms dont remain constant
Define validity in clinical psychology
Course of treatment given successfully
Same treatment used with people with similar symptoms
Issues
Treatment not successful
More than one cause exists
Patient presents more than one disorders (co-morbidity)
Cultural issues in clinical psychology
DSM culturally biased, eastern culture may be wrongly diagnosed
Escobar and Vega, low cross cultural applicability because of western bias
Cinnerella and Lowenthal, ethinic group and religion has a strong effect on
perception on mental illness, needs to be taken into account
Gender bias, woman are treated more by NICE than men
Malgady, hearing voices in Costa Rica is talking to God, in USA symptom of
schizophrenia
Depression linked with women illness, alcoholism with men
Unipolar Depression
Biological Explanation
Focus on genes
Children with depressed parents more likely to get it
McGuffin concordance rate 46% MZ twins 20% DZ twins
MZ twins share 100% DNA DZ 50% DNA, so genes must account for higher
concordance.
Genes related to production of serotonin
Adoption studies shows influence of genes away from home envirorment.
Short form of serotonin transporter gene makes particularly vulnerable, but
doesnt lead to depression on its own.
Evaluation
Wilhem, teachers in Australia with short version serotonin transporter gene more

likely to get depression after stressful event

Children may get depression due to the way they are treated by the depressed
parents
Cognitive explanation infers depression is due to faulty thought processes which
may be genetic but influence by environment.
Twin studies are rare so its not a big sample, hard to generalise
If its due to genes MZ twins should have a 100% concordance rate
Cognitive Explanation
Due to faulty thinking
Person develops learned helplessness
Thinks people will criticize them
Attributes failure to internal stable factors
Catastrophize everything
Mood goes in a downward spiral
Evaluation
CBT is effective treatment
It suggests that both genes and environment play part in developing depression
so its a more complete explanation
Research showed that being aware of negative thought processes helped reduce
relapse and stop overthinking
Teichman found self concept was as important link with severity of depression
It could be that depression causes negative thinking, so it doesnt prove cause
and effect