Abnormal Psychology: Exploring Mental Disorders 215
irrational. I know that saying magic words to myself won’t protect me from injury,
but I can’t seem to control myself.”
Other criteria of pathology could be specified. However, these five are suffi-
cient to establish that it takes more than statistical abnormality to think of a behav-
ior pattern as a sign of a mental disorder.
(a) Depression and anxiety are miserable mental and emotional states. This suggests that
there is almost always associated with a mental disorder.
(b) Chronic procrastination and compulsive gambling are examples of behavior.
(c) Behavior that stands out is called either vivid or.
Answers: (a) suffering; (b) self-defeating; (c) salient.
Classifying Mental Disorders: Clusters of Signs
and Symptoms
Although the term mental disorderwas used earlier, it has not yet been defined. A
mental disorderis a disorder characterized by both abnormal behavior and the
presence of pathological signs and symptoms. This definition consolidates what
has already been said. A distinction needs to be made between a sign and a symp-
tom. A signis something that is evident to others. It is external. For example,
moping, making incomprehensible statements, and wearing filthy clothes are signs
to others that a friend or relative may have a problem.
A symptomis something that the individual himself or herself experiences.
It is internal. For example, feeling depressed, anxious, or confused are symptoms
the self perceives as distressing. A cluster of signs and symptoms is called a syn-
drome.Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists use recognizable syndromes as the
primary basis for classifying and diagnosing mental disorders.
(a) A mental disorder is a disorder characterized by both abnormal behavior and the pres-
ence of signs and symptoms.
(b) A cluster of signs and symptoms is called a.
Answers: (a) pathological; (b) syndrome.
The handbook used in actual clinical practice is called the Diagnostic and Sta-
tistical Manual of Mental Disorders,fourth edition (DSM-IV), and it is published by
the American Psychiatric Association. DSM-IV uses a five-axis system to classify
disorders. (The word axisis used to mean a core area of importance and concern).
Axis 1 refers to clinical syndromes.As already indicated, these are clusters of
