Definitions of abnormality 16 mark question

Rob is a sixth form student who has started haring voices in his head. The voices come often, are usually threatening and make Rob feel frightened. The voices are making it difficult for Rob to complete his homework properly and he is worried about how this may affect his chances of going to university. Rob has not told anyone about his experiences, but his parents and teachers have noticed that he appears distracted, anxious and untidy.

Outline and evaluate failure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health as definitions of abnormality. Refer to the experiences of Rob in your answer. (16 marks)

According to failure to function adequately, a person is considered abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday living. Rob is failing to function adequately because the voices are making it "difficult for Rob to complete his homework". This means he is finding it difficult to manage his school life. Rosenhan and Seligman proposed signs to determine when an individual is failing to function, including maladaptiveness, violate social/ moral standars and inability to cope with stress. Rob's parents and teachers have noticed that he is untidy and this suggests he is violating social standards and is therefore abnormal.

One strength of this definition is that it can be measured using…