An example of a significant disturbance indicating a psychological disorder is an individual who is uncontrollably preoccupied with thoughts of germs. This inner experience leads to behaviors, such as spending hours bathing each day, that are considered atypical, negative, and would likely be troubling to family members.

Example of Significant Disturbance: Compulsive Bathing

Based on the provided scenario, analyze how the individual's experiences and behaviors meet the criterion of a 'significant disturbance'. Explain which specific thoughts and actions are considered disturbances and why they are viewed as unusual, negative, and unsettling.

Analyzing Disturbances in Behavior

According to the APA, a key criterion for a psychological disorder is the presence of significant disturbances. This involves inner experiences, such as thoughts and feelings, and outward behaviors that are unusual in a negative and self-defeating manner. These disturbances are often also unsettling to the people around the individual.

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The American Psychiatric Association (APA) provides a formal definition of a psychological disorder that incorporates many features from Wakefield's harmful dysfunction model. This definition states that a psychological disorder is a condition involving: 1) significant disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; 2) these disturbances reflect an underlying biological, psychological, or developmental dysfunction; 3) they cause significant distress or disability in an individual's life; and 4) they are not expected or culturally approved responses to life events.

American Psychiatric Association (APA) Definition of a Psychological Disorder

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

The APA specifies that disturbed patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors must reflect a flaw, or dysfunction, in the underlying mechanisms responsible for healthy psychological functioning. These mechanisms can be biological, psychological, or developmental in nature.

Underlying Dysfunction as an APA Criterion for Psychological Disorders

For a condition to be considered a psychological disorder by the APA, the individual's inner experiences and behaviors must cause them significant distress or substantially impair their ability to function in daily life. This impairment is often referred to as functional, occupational, or social impairment.

Significant Distress or Disability as an APA Criterion for Psychological Disorders

The APA's definition of a psychological disorder excludes disturbances that are expected or culturally approved responses to common life events. To be considered a disorder, the individual's reactions must be socially and culturally unacceptable in the given context.

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