CRIM211 MIDTERMS

SOME BIOLOGICAL CAUSES MAY

INCLUDE:
WEEK 7
 Physical illness or disability
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
 Malnutrition
 is a psychological term for actions that fall
outside of the realm of what is considered  Brain damage
normative in a particular society or culture.
 Hereditary factors
This abnormal behavior definition is
functional and useful for many purposes. OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO AN
However, most definitions of abnormal INDIVIDUAL’S HOME LIFE MAY
behavior also take into account that from a CONTRIBUTE TO BEHAVIORS
psychological point of view, mental illness, ASSOCIATED WITH A BEHAVIORAL
pain, and stress often play a major role in DISORDER:
behavioral patterns.
 Divorce or other emotional upset at home
 is behavior that deviates from what is
expected and normal. The study of abnormal  Coercion from parents
behavior is called abnormal psychology.
 Unhealthy or inconsistent discipline style
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR: HISTORY
 Poor attitude toward education or schooling
 What a given society considers to be
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF BEHAVIORAL
abnormal behavior is something that
DISORDERS
changes over time, sometimes dramatically.
This is because cultural norms and mores  Unlike other types of health issues, a
also change, meaning that the realm of behavioral disorder will have mostly
acceptable behavior shifts over the decades emotional symptoms, with physical
and centuries. symptoms such as a fever, rash, or headache
being absent. However, sometimes people
WARNING SIGNS OF BEHAVIORAL OR
suffering from a behavioral disorder will
EMOTIONAL DISORDER COULD INCLUDE:
develop a substance abuse problem, which
 Drastic changes in behavior or personality could show physical symptoms such as
burnt fingertips, shaking or bloodshot eyes.
 Easily getting annoyed or nervous
 According to HealthyChildren.org, the most
 Often appearing angry
serious actions a person with a behavioral
 Blaming others disorder may engage in include starting
fights, abusing animals and threatening to
WHAT CAUSES A BEHAVIORAL
use a weapon on others.
DISORDER?
WHAT IS A PERSONALITY DISORDER?
 A behavioral disorder can have a variety of
causes. According to the University of North  A personality disorder is a mental health
Carolina at Chapel Hill, the abnormal condition that involves long-lasting, all-
behavior that is usually associated with these encompassing, disruptive patterns of
disorders can be traced back to biological, thinking, behavior, mood and relating to
family and school-related factors. others. These patterns cause a person
significant distress and/or impair their
ability to function.
CRIM211 MIDTERMS
 Personality disorders may cause distorted trust, both of which may be related
perceptions of reality, abnormal behaviors to childhood abuse and trauma.
and distress across various aspects of life,
 Verbal abuse: In one study, people who
including work, relationships and social
experienced verbal abuse as children were
functioning.
three times as likely to have borderline,
WHAT CAUSES PERSONALITY narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive or
paranoid personality disorders in adulthood.

DISORDERS?  Cultural factors: Cultural factors may also

play a role in the development of personality
 Personality disorders are among the least disorders, as demonstrated by the varying
understood mental health conditions. rates of personality disorders between
Scientists are still trying to figure out the different countries.
cause of them. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF
 So far, they believe the following factors PERSONALITY DISORDERS?
may contribute to the development of  Identity and a sense of self: People with a
personality disorders: personality disorder generally lack a clear or
 Genetics: Scientists have identified a stable image of themselves, and how they
malfunctioning gene that may be a factor in see themselves often changes depending on
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. the situation or the people they’re with.
Researchers are also exploring genetic links Their self-esteem may be unrealistically
to aggression, anxiety and fear, which are high or low.
traits that can play a role in personality  Relationships: People with a personality
disorders. disorder struggle to form close, stable
 Brain changes: Researchers have identified relationships with others due to their
subtle brain differences in people with problematic beliefs and behaviors. They
certain personality disorders. For example, may lack empathy or respect for others, be
findings in studies on paranoid personality emotionally detached or be overly needy of
disorder point to altered amygdala attention and care.
functioning. The amygdala is the part of WEEK 8
your brain that’s involved with processing
fearful and threatening stimuli. In a study on STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES IN
schizotypal personality disorder, researchers DEALING WITH ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR.
found a volumetric decrease in the frontal 1. Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy involves
lobe of their brain. talking to a mental health professional who
 Childhood trauma: One study revealed a can help an individual understand the
link between childhood traumas and the behavior and the reasons behind it. The
development of personality disorders. therapist helps the person develop coping
People with borderline personality disorder, skills and new ways of thinking and
for example, had especially high rates of behaving, potentially reducing the
childhood sexual trauma. People with occurrence of abnormal behavior.
borderline and antisocial personality 2. Medication: In some cases, medication may
disorders have issues with intimacy and be prescribed as part of the treatment plan
for abnormal behavior. Psychiatric drugs can
alleviate some of the symptoms associated
CRIM211 MIDTERMS
with certain psychiatric disorders, including 3. Communication: Engaging with the person in a
depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. non-judgmental and empathetic manner, using
3. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): active listening and offering support and
CBT is a form of psychotherapy that resources.
involves identifying negative thought
4. Treatment options: Based on the assessment,
patterns that lead to abnormal behavior and
the person may be referred to a mental health
working to replace these patterns with more
professional, a hospital, or other medical facility
positive ones. CBT is often used to treat
for treatment.
disorders such as phobias and post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). 5. Support and follow-up: After the initial
4. Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA): ABA intervention, ongoing support may be necessary,
is frequently utilized for children with such as medication management, therapy, or
autism. ABA uses a system of rewards and community resources to help the person maintain
consequences to encourage and reinforce their well-being.
positive behaviors while discouraging
negative behaviors. Overall, the key is to prioritize safety and
5. Family therapy: Family therapy can be compassionate care while ensuring that the
effective when behavior issues impact the person's needs are being met. It's important to
entire family. The therapist works with the remember that each situation is unique, and
family to improve communication, change procedures may need to be adjusted based on the
negative behavior patterns, and establish individual's needs and circumstances.
healthy boundaries. WEEK 9 IN PPT
6. Support groups: Support groups provide a
safe and supportive environment where
individuals with similar issues can share WEEK 10&11
their experiences and receive emotional
support. CRIMINAL PSYCHIATRY AND CRIMINAL
7. Stress management techniques: Learning BEHAVIOR
stress management techniques, such as  Criminal psychiatry is a specialized field
meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises, can within psychiatry that focuses on the
help an individual manage their responses to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of
stressful situations and reduce the likelihood individuals who have been involved in
of abnormal behavior. criminal activity. It involves the application
HERE ARE SOME GENERAL STEPS THAT of psychological and psychiatric principles
MAY BE TAKEN: to understand the behavior of individuals
who have committed crimes, with the
1. Assessment and evaluation: Gathering ultimate goal of improving public safety,
information about the person's history, symptoms, reducing criminal recidivism, and promoting
and current circumstances, including a medical and the mental health of offenders.
psychiatric evaluation, if necessary.
 Criminal behavior refers to any activity
2. Safety measures: If the person is in immediate that violates the law, ranging from minor
danger to themselves or others, steps need to be offenses such as traffic violations to serious
taken to ensure their safety, such as calling crimes such as homicide or theft. Criminal
emergency services or removing any hazardous behavior can be influenced by a variety of
objects or substances from their environment. factors, such as biological, psychological,
environmental, and social factors.
CRIM211 MIDTERMS
Instead, they should be treated as a juvenile
and placed in a separate court system.
 Criminal psychiatry plays an important role
3. Senility: Senility is a defense often used for
in understanding and treating criminal
elderly defendants who suffer from
behavior. It involves the evaluation of
cognitive decline. This defense argues that
offenders to identify any underlying mental
the defendant's mental condition impaired
health issues that may be contributing to
their ability to understand the nature and
their criminal behavior.
consequences of their actions.
 offenders may be deemed unfit to stand trial
or may be found not guilty by reason of 4. Delusion of grandeur: Delusions of
insanity, and may be involuntarily grandeur are a type of mental illness in
committed to psychiatric facilities for which the defendant has an exaggerated
treatment. sense of their own importance or abilities. In
 Overall, criminal psychiatry is an important some cases, defendants may believe that
aspect of the criminal justice system, they are a deity or have special powers. This
allowing for a more comprehensive defense argues that the defendant's mental
understanding of criminal behavior and the illness is responsible for their criminal
development of effective treatment and behavior.
prevention strategies.
LEGAL DEFENSE ON ACCOUNT OF
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES, E.G. INSANITY,
MINORITY, SENILITY, DELUSION OF
GRANDEUR ETC.
 Legal defenses based on behavioral issues
are used to excuse or mitigate criminal
behavior. These defenses typically argue
that the defendant was not fully
responsible for their actions due to a
mental or psychological condition. Some
common examples of legal defenses based
on behavioral issues include:
1. Insanity: Insanity is a legal defense that
argues that the defendant was not sane at the
time of the offense. In other words, the
defendant did not understand the nature or
consequences of their actions. To prove
insanity, the defense must typically show
that the defendant had a mental illness or
defect that impaired their judgment or ability
to control their behavior.
2. Minority: Minority is a defense that applies
to defendants who are under the age of 18.
The argument is that the defendant lacks the
maturity and understanding necessary to be
held fully accountable for their actions.