Models of Psychopathology

Robert Fettgather, Ph.D. is a counselor, educator, writer and activist residing in Grass Valley, California.  He started as a special education teacher in an institutional setting where he worked with people with intellectual disability, autism and cerebral palsy. Robert Fettgather holds a doctorate in psychology and master degrees in both psychology and education, and teaches at Mission College. 

There are various models or perspectives that frame the field of abnormal psychology. You may recognize that many of them have been covered in earlier Posts.

The sociocultural model of abnormality takes into account the effect of culture on behavior and suggests that psychological disorders should be assessed within the realm of cultural relativity. Culture-bound syndromes are certain psychological disorders that are only found in particular cultures. The biological model of psychopathology proposes that psychological disorders arise from a physical or biological cause. 

The psychoanalytical model asserts that disorders are the result of repressed thoughts in the unconscious mind, and grounded in our past experiences. The behaviorist model explains disorders as a set of learned behaviors influenced by the environment. Cognitive psychologists have outlined the cognitive model which describes psychological disorders as resulting from errant patterns of thought. The biopsychosocial model is multi-faceted and asserts that abnormal behavior is the result of biological, psychological, cultural and social factors.

Studies of abnormal behavior, or psychopathology have considerable historic roots.  For example, archaeological evidence (3000 B.C.) of a practice called "trepanning", or drilling holes in the skull-this  showed concern for aberrant behavior with a radical intervention.