Outline Failure to Function Adequately as a Definition of Abnormality

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Outline and evaluate failure to function adequately as a definition of abnormality People with psychological disorders often experience considerable suffering and distress and a general inability to cope with everyday activities. This failure to function is very common among people with psychological disorders. As a result doctors are required to diagnose an individual’s psychological problems based up the life led by the individual and the things that may affect them. When diagnosing a patient doctors often use and refer to various manuals to help identify psychological disorders. One of the most widely used is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (1994). This manual requires doctors to assess people on a variety of physical and psychological disorders. One of these measures is the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF). It is measured upon score and a low score would indicate a psychological disorder, although it is not measured on score alone, other factors would need to be considered and reviewed. The GAF is measured from 0-100 and ascends is tens. For example if someone scored 100 they would be described as having “superior functioning in a wide range of activities. Life’s problems never seem to get out of hand. Is sought out by others because of his or her many positive qualities, no symptoms”. One the other hand if an individual was to be scored at 10 they would be described as, “persistent danger of severely hurting self or others (e.g. recurrent violence) OR persistent inability to maintain minimal personal hygiene OR serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death”. The failure to function adequately view of abnormality does have implications. If an individual’s behaviour seems to be strange or abnormal to others, then providing they are not harming themselves or others, and provided behaviour is not dysfunctional. Meaning
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