Chapter 1 - Conceptions
Hudziak, J. J., Achenbach, T. M., Althoff, R. R., & Pine, D. S. (2007). A dimensional approach to developmental psychopathology. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 16(S1), S16–S23.
McNally, R. J. (2001). On Wakefield’s harmful dysfunction analysis of mental disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39(3), 309–14.
O’Connor, B. P. (2002). The search for dimensional structure differences between normality and abnormality: A statistical review of published data on personality and psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(4), 962–82.
Widiger, T. A., & Sankis, L. M. (2000). Adult psychopathology: Issues and controversies. Annual Review of Psychology, 51(1), 377–404.
There are several different conceptions of psychopathology. The harmful dysfunction conception is based upon evolution. The social deviance conception is based upon deviations from social norms, while the statistical deviance conception is based upon deviations from statistical norms (e.g., standardized testing). The dyscontrol conception is based upon involuntary behavior. Finally, the social constructionist view involves accepting the idea that psychopathology is an abstract idea that is not scientifically constructed but socially constructed. A common problem with many of the conceptions is that they use subjective criteria and categorical (rather than dimensional) models.