Question

What is psychological disorder and how do psychological approaches of psychoanalysis, humanism, and behavioralism explain abnormal behavior?

Why are clinical assessment and diagnosis?

Please explain your answers and use examples.

Include supportive evidence; such as direct applicable experience and expert sources.

Answer 1

What is psychological disorder?

A psychological disorder is a condition characterized by abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Example: Anxiety disorder

How do psychological approaches of psychoanalysis, humanism, and behavioralism explain abnormal behavior?

Psychoanalysis explains abnormal behaviors as behaviors of individuals which stem from unconscious thoughts, desires, and memories.

Humanism explains abnormal behaviors as psychological problems occuring due to people's inability to be their true selves.

Behavioralism explains that all behavior (including abnormal) is learned from the environment (nurture), and that all behavior that has been learnt can also be ‘unlearnt’.

Why are clinical assessment and diagnosis?

Clinical assessment and diagnosis are to determine if the pattern of symptoms the person presents with is consistent with the diagnostic criteria for a specific mental disorder or abnormal behavior set forth in an established classification system such as the DSM-5 or ICD-10.