abnormal psychology

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ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY CONTRASTING PERSPECTIVES

JONATHAN D. RASKIN

9781137547163_01_prexxviii_2pp.indd 1

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PREFACE

THE CHALLENGE OF CONTRASTING PERSPECTIVES When it comes to the discipline within psychology commonly referred to as “abnormal psychology,” the one thing on which everyone can probably agree is that there isn’t much agreement. On the contrary, abnormal psychology is a field filled with contrasting perspectives—different lenses that, when looked through, inevitably shape the definitions of abnormality arrived at, the research questions asked about it, and the clinical interventions undertaken to alleviate it. This makes sense because what counts as “abnormal” is inevitably a judgment call and the kinds of explanations offered to explain why people behave abnormally vary widely depending on one’s point of view. Even when we do agree that particular ways of behaving are “abnormal,” it doesn’t necessarily mean we also agree on what causes such behavior. Is abnormal behavior mainly attributable to neurochemical imbalances or other brain disorders, genetic inheritance, immune system reactions to stress, evolutionary mismatches between our ancestral environments and modern society, unconscious conflicts, faulty attachment relationships, irrational thinking, conditioned learning, a failure to self-actualize, cultural differences, economic adversity, social oppression, or some combination thereof? To many students’ dismay, the number of potential explanations can be dizzying! To illustrate just how fractured the field of abnormal psychology can be, a couple of the reviewers who read this textbook while it was under development strongly advised that we not use “Abnormal Psychology” as our book’s title. Why? Because to these reviewers, the term “abnormal” is stigmatizing and dismissive. It fails to appreciate or respect the many complex and diverse ways that human beings suffer emotionally. Thus, these reviewers recommended we adopt a less pathologizing title, such as “Mental Distress and Well-being.” Their quite reasonable rationale was that labeling atypical or emotionally distressed people as “abnormal” is pejorative and inappropriate. Yet despite these understandable objections, not everyone is troubled by the term “abnormal psychology.” It is likely that many instructors and students would have been duly confused had we jettisoned the term as our book’s title. For better or worse, the term “abnormal psychology” remains unquestioningly accepted in many (most?) professional and research domains—as evidenced by its continued and widespread use (with exceptions here and there) as a course title in undergraduate and graduate psychology programs around the globe. That some people view the term “abnormal psychology” as problematic while others take no issue with it at all is quite telling. It is a testament to divisions within the field—to the many contrasting perspectives this text endeavors to teach students about. As we shall see, those advancing these contrasting perspectives on “abnormal psychology” (or “mental distress and well-being,” if you prefer) are often exceedingly passionate about their divergent outlooks.

This book tries to capture that passion by examining not simply the wide variety of perspectives on abnormal psychology, but also the ways that advocates of these perspectives often strongly and loudly disagree. The idea is to fully and thoroughly present these disagreements—but without being disagreeable! In order to accomplish this, the book adopts a credulous approach (Kelly, 1955/1991a), in which—rather than immediately judging the contrasting perspectives presented—students are encouraged to understand and appreciate each perspective in its own right. To that end, each perspective’s theoretical rationale for viewing particular problems in certain ways is sympathetically discussed, along with how this gives rise to specific strategies for alleviating the problem. Then research on each perspective is examined to help students assess its current status. However, rather than me—as students’ humble guide in this endeavor—declaring some perspectives as winners and others as losers, my goal is more modest: to provide necessary information, pose challenging questions, and then encourage students to draw their own conclusions. Some might question this approach. “Aren’t you the expert? Shouldn’t you be informing students about which perspectives are most correct?” The trouble with offering definitive answers to students is that, in my experience of teaching abnormal psychology, different students inevitably draw different conclusions about the material they are learning, no matter how hard (or not) I advocate for some perspectives over others. This is so even when exposed to the same theories, research, and practice aspects of these perspectives. In xxiii


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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION many respects, this isn’t surprising. Deciding what is “abnormal” and what to do about it is not simply a dry academic endeavor. It touches on people’s core beliefs about what it means to be a person and to live a healthy and productive life. It also taps into students’ ideas about themselves and their own personal problems. In this respect, student disagreements about what is or isn’t abnormal, what should be done about it, and what the research recommends mirror fundamental disagreements in the field itself. Put simply, abnormal psychology is an arena where clear and definitive answers aren’t always readily forthcoming. Thus, this book has a simple and exciting (if at times challenging) goal for students: after digesting the relevant information and trying to understand each perspective in a fair and open manner, students are encouraged to decide for themselves which perspectives they most agree with and why.

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES Accomplishing the goals outlined above is a difficult task! So, how does this book attempt to do so? Key features of the book are outlined below. Each feature is intended to help students as they go about the task of mastering the material, as well as to provide instructors with ways to guide and assist them along the way.

• Learning Objectives: Each chapter begins with a list of clearly defined learning objectives. By the time they finish studying each chapter, students should be able to fulfill these objectives. • Case Examples: Each chapter presents one or more case examples to help illustrate the topics being explored. Typically introduced at the beginning of the chapter, these cases are regularly revisited to provide concrete instances of the theories and interventions discussed. • In Depth: This feature zeros in on particular topics in order to provide students with a more detailed exploration of areas currently garnering attention. Going in depth on selected topics affords students the opportunity to gain a richer appreciation for the kinds of clinical and research explorations going on in the field. • Controversial Question: Posing controversial questions allows students to grapple with some of the issues that researchers and clinicians often struggle to address. This feature is designed to expose students to prominent and ongoing debates within abnormal psychology. • The Lived Experience: Abnormal psychology is not merely an academic pursuit. The material studied applies to many people’s daily lives in unique and powerful ways. This feature brings topics to life by providing firsthand accounts from clients and clinicians alike of their lived experience in dealing with the many presenting problems the book explores. • Try It Yourself: This feature offers activities in which students are invited to try out techniques and methods for themselves. The exercises and activities are intended to help students apply what they are learning in a more personal way. • Diagnostic Boxes: Appearing in most chapters, these provide quick summary comparisons of DSM-5, ICD10, and ICD-11 definitions of disorders and help students grasp the similarities and differences across these three diagnostic schemes. • New Vocabulary : New terms are highlighted and defined in the text, listed together at the ends of chapters, and catalogued in the glossary, making it easy for students to master new vocabulary. • Glossary : A comprehensive glossary is provided at the end of the book, with concise definitions of key terms. Glossary definitions also provide the number of the chapter where each term was first introduced in the book.

INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTORS • A Perspectives Approach: Chapters are organized by perspectives, allowing students to “try on” each way of looking at problems in the field. The perspectives typically covered in abnormal psychology texts (e.g., neurochemical, genetic, cognitive-behavioral, and classic psychoanalytic) are given extensive attention, but so are perspectives that often receive less consideration (e.g., immunological, evolutionary, modern psychodynamic, humanistic, social justice, cross-cultural, and systems). Further, rather than presenting traditional mental disorder categories as givens that other perspectives unquestioningly treat, they too are framed as perspectival products—hence the inclusion of DSM and ICD diagnostic perspectives. This subtle shift allows mental disorder categories to be explored more fully and fairly, without enshrining them as universally accepted (after all, the other perspectives covered have widely contrasting opinions xxiv


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•

• • • • •

about them). The idea is to place all perspectives side by side, so instructors may present them (as well as critiques lodged against them) in a dispassionate and even-handed manner. This allows instructors to help students understand each perspective’s strengths and weaknesses while also encouraging them to develop their own educated points of view. Numbered Sections: Chapters are divided into numbered sections. Although it is recommended that instructors assign these sections in the order provided, they can easily be assigned in whatever order the instructor deems best. Further, for instructors who wish to spend more than one class on a chapter, specific numbered sections can easily be assigned for different class dates (e.g., “Read Chapter 1, Sections 1.1–1.3”). Online Test Bank: Includes multiple choice questions. In devising the test bank, the goal was to create materials that target key ideas in the book. As a long-time instructor who is well aware of how often test banks disappoint, much effort was put into weeding out poor items and only maintaining those that effectively discriminate student understanding of key concepts. Online Instructor’s Manual: This manual consists of detailed lecture notes for each chapter. Lecture Slides: MS® PowerPoint slides to accompany the chapter-by-chapter lecture notes in the instructor’s manual are provided to use in class and/or to share with students as an additional course resource. Slides of Diagnostic Boxes, Images, Tables, and Figures: Instructors have access to an additional PowerPoint file per chapter that contains all of that chapter’s diagnostic boxes, images, tables, and figures. Like the lecture slides, these can be used in class and/or shared with students as an additional course resource. Online Videos: Links to relevant YouTube videos for each chapter are provided. The videos can be assigned for students to view on their own or be shown by instructors in class.

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS • Online Vocabulary Lists: Chapter-by-chapter vocabulary lists are provided in two ways on the book’s online companion website: with and without definitions. This provides students with maximum flexibility in how they use the lists to study. • Online Knowledge Checks: Each chapter has an accompanying online “knowledge-check” quiz that students can complete to quickly assess their understanding; results can easily be sent to instructors. • Online Study Guide: Each chapter includes a study guide, consisting of questions to help students develop study materials. By sketching answers to each of the study guide questions, students will be able to concisely summarize content from the chapters as they prepare for exams. • Online Flash Cards: Students can use these flash cards to help them study for exams. They provide an excellent way for students to test themselves on key terms and concepts.

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