(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Abnormality- Medical Model

            Question: "Explanations of abnormality have become increasingly dominated by the medical model" Give a brief account of the medical model and consider its strengths and weaknesses.
             The Medical Model.
             This definition of abnormality makes the assumption that mental illness had the same causes as physical illness. They usually affect the brains biological processes; however some mental illnesses do not follow this rule such as Alzheimer's. There are four main ways in which the medical model explains mental illnesses and they are infection, biochemistry, genetics and Neuroanatomy.
             General paralysis is explained by infection as it is caused by the sexually transmitted disease syphilis. It eventually causes the person to become intellectually impaired before dying. All mental disorders can not be explained solely by infection though. A lack or excess of chemicals in the body and/or brain can also lead to behavioural changes which may be considered a mental disorder. For example neurotransmitters are chemicals responsible for communication between nerve cells, and an abnormality in these could lead to the wrong messages being transmitted. However few neurotransmitters are believed to be associated with mental disorders. Schizophrenia is also associated with biochemistry as it is thought to be due to raised dopamine levels in the brain.
             Meehl (1962) and Rosenthal (1970) developed the diathesis stress theory which states that it is not an abnormality which we develop but it is a predisposition to getting it. This can be worked out by looking at a patients family background for certain disorders over many generations to look for genetic markers for a particular disorder. Disorders such as depression and alcoholism are thought to be caused or at least liked with the genetic theory. The fourth and final way of explaining mental disorders is neuroanatomy; this is to do with an abnormality in behaviour occurring due to a disruption to the normal functioning of a person.


Essays Related to Abnormality- Medical Model

1. Overview of Abnormal Psychology

Define and describe the three (3) components to abnormality. ... According to Abnormal Psychology and Life: A Dimensional Approach (Kearney & Trull, 2012), "the biological model focuses on internal physical structures related to mental disorder'. ... (iii) Axis III This axis pertains to the medical conditions relevant to understanding or treating a patient's Axis I or II disorder. ... People with conversion disorder experience motor or sensory problems that suggest a neurological or medical disorder, even though one is not present. ... A key aspect of hypochondriasis is that a ...

  • Word Count: 1807
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Overview of Abnormal Psychology

Thankfully the treatment of the mentally ill has significantly evolved over the last fifty years or so, and an emphasis on empathy for patients is now instilled in medical professionals, and treatment is no longer perverse and cruel in the vast majority of cases. ... Would such a person have then always been abnormal? Or in the case of someone who developed Alzheimer's would they then become abnormal when diagnosed? ... When we take into account the inherent science behind these mental disorders/illnesses we must then examine various models of behavior that can be used to analyze a pers...

  • Word Count: 1145
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. The Transformation of American Medicine

With the stethoscope, a doctor was able to identify abnormalities in the heart. Once these abnormalities were established, data was taken in significant amounts, and similarities in data were able to be used in forming a specific diagnosis. ... With all of these changes in thought and new technologies, a model for medical education was in order. ... By adopting a model of training physicians from Germany, Americans could finally surpass their medical predecessors. ... When Americans observed this medical school model, they found that they needed to put an even larger emphasis on practicing sci...

  • Word Count: 1198
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Autism: Medical Professions View

- Delays or abnormal functioning in social interaction; language as a means for communication; or symbolic or imaginative play... According to the medical profession, many autistic babies are different from birth. ... In general, autistic behavior is seen in its most typical form between 2 and 5 years of age, although the abnormalities in some passive and some active-but-odd children are not detected until school age (Cohen, p.12). ... According to the medical profession, autism fits the portion of the bio-medical model that all of the known contributors seem to be biological. ... By focus...

  • Word Count: 1097
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. The Art Of 3-D Printing

Myalynn, who is a young 16 year old girl, is from Westfield Springs, needed to have surgery to have a "piece of abnormal tissue" removed from her brain. ... Joseph Madsen the surgeon operating her brain made an MRI or CT scans and made digital model file, and then made a 3-D print of out Myalynn's brain and practiced thoroughly and repeatedly on the model before the day of the surgery. The 3-D printer is a major breakthrough in the medical field, (this also includes veterinarian and the dental field). ... I recently successfully made my first model on the printer, it is an acce...

  • Word Count: 1232
  • Approx Pages: 5

6. Social model of disability

Such a model assumes that disability is a tragic abnormality, which afflicts a minority of people. This assumption is usually very persuasive and it is the entire basis of the "Medical Model". ... It is far less negative and demoralising approach in comparison to the personal tragedy or Medical model and one that is increasingly being adapted. ... It also included psychological and medical aspects. ... The justification for benefits and allowances is the medical model, while for rights it is the social model. ...

  • Word Count: 2847
  • Approx Pages: 11
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. Computer Science And Medicine

As a wealth of medical technology and data become available to medical professionals, the task of sorting through the information is becoming more and more difficult. ... Bioinformatics has identified molecular genetic profiles for normal and abnormal blood, colon, kidney, and lung, ovarian and prostate cells. ... Computer simulations aren't new in non-medical research and development. ... With such a set of coordinated models medical scientists might see effects of disease that are hidden by the complexity of the human body. ... Medical errors may rank as the eighth leading cause...

  • Word Count: 1003
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Klinefelters syndrome

In this case, the underlying genetic cause is seen by medical professionals as equivalent to having the syndrome. It is not possible to have this syndrome's label given to a patient without the underlying genetic abnormalities. ... Symptomless Syndrome When medical professionals discuss the syndrome, they are usually referring to the classic case, in which there are many clear symptoms. ... The smaller testicular size and abnormal/absent sperm do not affect the man's sexual function. ... Some of the leading fashion models -- women models! ...

  • Word Count: 1538
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Abormal Behavior

ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR Abnormal Behavior, what is it? ... Who determines abnormal behavior verses normal behavior? ... This is certainly true of abnormal psychology. ... Thus in defining abnormal behavior we must consider more. ... Another criterion for defining abnormality is personal discomfort. ...

  • Word Count: 2500
  • Approx Pages: 10
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question