The Biological Approach To Psychopathology
Outline and evaluate the biological approach to psychopathology (12 marks)
The biological approach is widely used in diagnosing and treating mental illness. The theory suggests that mental illnesses occur due to a physical cause. Physical causes include genetic inheritance, viruses, toxicity, physical trauma for example a head injury or perhaps an imbalance of hormones bought on by stress. These physical, external occurrences can distort thinking, emotion and behaviours in some people.
Studies have shown links with psychological disturbance and biological changes in the body and brain which suggests reasons for abnormal behaviour. Psychologists analyse concordant rates in families to understand genetic associations in mental illnesses. The biological model argues that inheritance of developmental abnormality is a possible cause for psychopathology. It has been found that relatives of schizophrenics were 18 times more likely to develop the illness. The theory that infections and viruses can be the cause for a mental illness can be supported by a study on a man named Clive Wearing who had a 7 second memory span after a cold sore spread to his brain and infected his temporal lobe. It is found that environmental toxins and recreational drugs can cause problems for the health due to chemical poisoning. Smoking marijuana for example, can change neurology and cause behaviours that are associated with mental illnesses such as hallucinations and paranoia. Furthermore, biochemistry establishes that an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters or hormones (serotonin and dopamine) may lead to parts of the brain to malfunction.
The theory is a structured and logical system for diagnosis and treatment and can be used more simply than purely assessing the patient’s emotional disturbance. The model offers people a role and treatments that they are familiar with, it is frequent and usually well known about. Patients can feel informed and trust in the process because it is
The biological approach is widely used in diagnosing and treating mental illness. The theory suggests that mental illnesses occur due to a physical cause. Physical causes include genetic inheritance, viruses, toxicity, physical trauma for example a head injury or perhaps an imbalance of hormones bought on by stress. These physical, external occurrences can distort thinking, emotion and behaviours in some people.
Studies have shown links with psychological disturbance and biological changes in the body and brain which suggests reasons for abnormal behaviour. Psychologists analyse concordant rates in families to understand genetic associations in mental illnesses. The biological model argues that inheritance of developmental abnormality is a possible cause for psychopathology. It has been found that relatives of schizophrenics were 18 times more likely to develop the illness. The theory that infections and viruses can be the cause for a mental illness can be supported by a study on a man named Clive Wearing who had a 7 second memory span after a cold sore spread to his brain and infected his temporal lobe. It is found that environmental toxins and recreational drugs can cause problems for the health due to chemical poisoning. Smoking marijuana for example, can change neurology and cause behaviours that are associated with mental illnesses such as hallucinations and paranoia. Furthermore, biochemistry establishes that an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters or hormones (serotonin and dopamine) may lead to parts of the brain to malfunction.
The theory is a structured and logical system for diagnosis and treatment and can be used more simply than purely assessing the patient’s emotional disturbance. The model offers people a role and treatments that they are familiar with, it is frequent and usually well known about. Patients can feel informed and trust in the process because it is