Defining abnormality
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One way of defining abnormality is in terms of characteristics or behaviours that are statistically infrequent (the deviation from statistical norms definition). However, this does not take into account the desirability of a characteristic or behaviour. The definition also fails to recognise that in all cultures large numbers of people may engage in behaviours that constitute mental disorders. A further problem is the failure to identify how far a person must deviate before being 'abnormal'. Such decisions are difficult to make and then consequently justify. The deviation from ideal mental health definition proposes that abnormal people do not possess characteristics that mental healthy people do, or possess characteristics that mentally healthy people do not. This particular definition relies on value judgements about what constitutes ideal mental health. It is also bound by culture, era-dependent, and limited by the context in which behaviour occurs. Abnormality has also been defined as a failure to...


