What is Abnormal Behaviour?

The difference between normal and abnormal tends to be problematic. Judgements about where the line between normal and abnormal should be drawn tend to differ depending on the time and culture. For example, cannibalism has been practised in many cultures around the world; however, in contemporary Western culture, such behaviour would be viewed as pathological behaviour.

Homosexuality was officially considered to be a mental illness until the 15th of December, 1973, when the American Psychiatric Association removed it from the psychiatric classification system. However, despite the formal change in the psychiatric status of this sexual orientation, some people continue to view homosexuality as an indication of psychological disturbance, illustrating to some the arbitrary nature of abnormality judgements.

Abnormal Behaviour

Despite the arbitrariness of time, place, and value judgements, three criteria—distress, dysfunction, and deviance—seem to govern decisions concerning abnormality, and one or more of them seem to apply to virtually any behaviour that is regarded abnormal. First, we are likely to label behaviours as abnormal if they cause intense distress to the individual. Individuals who tend to be excessively anxious, depressed, or dissatisfied—or otherwise seriously upset about themselves or about life circumstances—could be viewed disturbed, particularly if such individuals seem to have little control over their reactions.

On the other hand, one's personal distress is neither sufficient nor necessary in definition of abnormality, as some seriously disturbed mental patients are so out of touch with reality, making them experience little distress; but their bizarre behaviours are considered to be very abnormal. And although all of us experience suffering as part of our lives, our distress is not likely to be judged as abnormal unless it is disproportionately intense or long-lasting in relevance to the situation.

Second, the behaviours judged most abnormal are dysfunctional behaviours, either for the individual or for society. Behaviours causing interference in an individual's ability to work, or keep satisfying relationships with other individuals, are likely to be seen as maladaptive and self-defeating, especially if such an individual seems unable to control such behaviours. Some behaviours are labelled as abnormal because they interfere with the well-being of society. However, even here, the standards aren't cut and dried. For example, is a suicide bomber who detonates a bomb in a public place a psychologically-disturbed criminal?

The third criteria used for abnormality is the judgement of society concerning the deviance of a given behaviour. Conduct within every society is regulated by norms; behavioural rules which specify the manner in which people are expected to think, feel, and behave. Some norms are explicit codes of law; making violation of these norms to be defined as criminal behaviour. However, other norms are far less explicit. For example, it is generally expected in our culture for one not to carry on animated conversations with individuals who are not present, nor should one face the rear of an elevator staring intently into the eyes of a fellow passenger (don't try this unless you expect to see an elevator empty out quickly. Individuals who violate these unstated norms are viewed as psychologically disturbed, especially if the violations makes other people uncomfortable, which cannot be attributed to environmental causes.

In summary, both personal and social judgements of behaviour enter into considerations of what is considered abnormal behaviour. Thus, we may define abnormal behaviour as behaviour which causes personal distress, personal dysfunction, and/or is so culturally deviant that it makes other people judge it to be inappropriate or maladaptive.

Diagnosis of Psychological Disorders

Classification is a necessary first step towards introducing order into discussions of the nature, causes, and treatment of psychological disorders. In order to be scientifically and practically useful, a classification system needs to meet standards of diagnostic reliability and validity. Reliability means that a clinician using the system should show high levels of agreement in their diagnostic decisions, because professionals with different types and amounts of training—including social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, and physicians—make diagnostic decisions.

Furthermore, the system needs to be couched in terms of observable behaviour, which can be in order to minimise subjective judgements. Validity means that diagnostic categories need to accurately capture the essential features of various disorders. Thus, if according to research and clinical observations, if a given disorder displays four characteristics, the diagnostic category for that disorder should also have those four features. Moreover, diagnostic categories should allow differentiation of one psychological disorder from another.

Reflecting on awareness of interacting personal and environmental factors, the DSM allows diagnostic information to be represented along five dimensions, or axes, taking both the person and his or her life situation into account. Axis I is the primary diagnosis. It represents the individual's primary clinical symptoms, which is the deviant behaviour of thought processes occurring at the present moment. Axis II represents longstanding personality disorders or mental retardation, both of which can influence this individual's response and behaviour to treatment. Axis III notes any relevant medical conditions such as high blood pressure or a recent concussion. According to the reflection of the stress model, a clinician also rates the intensity of recent psychological/environmental problems and coping resources in the individual's life on Axis IV.