Chapter 8 PUTTING IT…together
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Expanding the Boundaries of Abnormal Psychology
Once considered outside the field of abnormal psychology, bodily ailments and physical illnesses are now seen as problems that fall squarely within its boundaries. Just as physical factors have long been recognized as playing a role in abnormal mental functioning, psychological conditions are now considered important contributors to abnormal physical functioning. In fact, many of today’s clinicians believe that psychological and sociocultural factors contribute to some degree to the onset and course of virtually all physical ailments.
CLINICAL CHOICES
Now that you’ve read about disorders featuring somatic symptoms, try the interactive case study for this chapter. See if you are able to identify Joanne’s symptoms and suggest a diagnosis based on her symptoms. What kind of treatment would be most effective for Joanne? Go to LaunchPad to access Clinical Choices.
The number of studies devoted to this relationship has risen steadily during the past 40 years. What researchers once saw as a vague connection between stress and physical illness is now understood as a complex interaction of many variables. Such factors as life changes, a person’s particular psychological state, social support, biochemical activity, and slowing of the immune system are all recognized as contributors to disorders once considered purely physical.
Insights into the treatment of physical illnesses have been accumulating just as rapidly. Psychological approaches such as relaxation training and cognitive therapy are being applied to more and more physical ills, usually in combination with traditional medical treatments. Small wonder that many practitioners are convinced that such treatment combinations will eventually be the norm in treating the majority of physical ailments.
One of the most exciting aspects of these recent developments is the field’s growing emphasis on the interrelationship of the social environment, the brain, and the rest of the body. Researchers have observed repeatedly that mental disorders are often best understood and treated when sociocultural, psychological, and biological factors are all taken into consideration. They now know that this interaction also helps explain medical problems. We are reminded that the brain is part of the body and that both are part of a social context. For better and for worse, the three are intertwined.