BIOLOGICAL MODEL OF ABNORMALITY

PAPER - III

The Biological Model

• Typically focus on the brain.

• Psychological abnormality is an illness brought about by malfunctioning parts of the organism.

Brain anatomy • The brain is composed of 100 billion nerve

cells (called neurons) and thousands of billions of support cells (called glia)

• Clinical researchers have discovered connections between certain psychological disorders and problems in specific brain areas

Example: brain abnormality• Enlarged ventricles

5

Brain chemistry

– Mental disorders are sometimes related to abnormal chemical activity in the endocrine system.

– Abnormal secretions have been linked to psychological disorders• Example: cortisol

release is related to anxiety and mood disorders

GeneticsStudies suggestthat inheritanceplays a part in

• mood disorders,

• schizophrenia,

• Alzheimer’s disease,

• other mental disorders.

EVOLUTION • Evolutionary theorists argue that we can

best understand abnormality by examining the millions of years of human evolution

• This model has been criticized and remains controversial, yet it receives considerable attention.

Viral infections• Another possible source

of abnormal brain structure or biochemical dysfunction is viral infection

• Example: schizophrenia and prenatal viral exposure, anxiety and mood disorders

Biological Treatments

• Three types of biological treatment:– Drug therapy– Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)– Psychosurgery

Drug therapy– 1950s = advent of psychotropic

medications• Greatly changed the outlook for a

number of mental disorders– Four major drug groups:

• Antianxiety drugs (anxiolytics; tranquilizers)

• Antidepressant drugs• Antibipolar drugs (mood

stabilizers)• Antipsychotic drugs

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

– Used for depression when drugs and other therapies have failed• In 60% of cases,

ECT can lift symptoms within a few weeks

Psychosurgery (or neurosurgery)

• Considered experimental and used only in extreme cases

• Biological practitioners attempt to pinpoint the physical source of dysfunction to determine the course of treatment

Assessing the Biological Model

Strengths:– Enjoys considerable

respect in the field– Constantly produces

valuable new information

– Brings great relief– Fruitful

• Creates new therapies

• Suggests new avenues of research

Weaknesses:– Can limit, rather than

enhance, our understanding• Too simplistic

– Evidence is incomplete or inconclusive

– Treatments produce significant undesirable (negative) effects

References• Bennett, Paul (2003). Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Open

University Press. ISBN 978-0-335-21236-1.

• Hansell, James; Lisa Damour (2005). Abnormal Psychology. Von Hoffman Press. ISBN 0-471-38982-X.

• Barlow, David H.; Vincent Mark Durand (2004). Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach. Thomson Wadsworth. ISBN 0-534-63362-5.

• Zvolensky, M. J.; Kotov, R.; Antipova, A. V.; Schmidt, N. B. (2005). "Diathesis stress model for panic-related distress: A test in a Russian epidemiological sample". Behaviour Research and Therapy 43 (4): 521–532. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2004.09.001. PMID 15701361

THANK YOUSANIKA SATHE

MA PART 2SEM 4

COUNSELLING