Assumption 1:

1
Assumption 1- Mental Illness has underlying
physical cause Baron(1985) mental illness is
an objective entity located somewhere in the body
germs, genes, neurochemistry and/or
neuroanatomy.
Assumption 2- Abnormal behaviour can be
classified into syndromes (groups) of behaviours
the classification systems are used as the
basis of diagnosis
The MEDICAL MODEL
Assumption 3- If the cause of mental Illness is
physical, then the treatment must also be
physical drugs, electro-convulsive therapy
(ECT) psychosurgery.
2

• Implications evaluation of these assumptions-
• Assumption 1-
• Mental Illness individual a victim - not
  responsible for their illness in need of care
  treatment.
• More humane, less stigmatising than being
  labelled morally defective (Blaney,1975)
• Mental Illness may carry stigma of fear.
• Mentally ill people not held responsible for
  their behaviour - this can lead to-
• Loss of rights to consent to treatment
  institutionalisation - Mental Health Act and the
  use of sectioning.
• Loss of an internal locus of control
• The assumption that active treatment should be
  directed by professionals.

3

• Mentally ill people may need hospitalisation.
• Can have positive and negative implications
• Positive - Controlled environment provides
  safety, protection for others, a place for
  observation, support, treatment.
• Negative - Institutional environment may worsen
  the condition, cause a passive and dependent role
  of mental inmate. (Rosenhans study confirms
  this)
• Mentally ill people may be seen as different from
  mentally well people - can lead to labelling
  prejudice.

4

• Underlying biological cause
• Definitely the case in some disorders e.g. PKU.
• Not always a clearly identifiable biological
  cause. Szasz (1962) - only a few mental illnesses
  have an organic cause (and these would be better
  referred to as diseases of the brain or
  neurophysiological disorders.)
• Many disorders have large psychological
  contribution to their causes (see other
  approaches specific disorders looked at later
  e.g. phobias eating disorders).
• Szasz (1962) again - many cases of mental
  illness are actually cases of problems with
  living (seen in an ethical and social context
  see next point).

5

• Many psychologists eg Heather (1976) and Szasz
  (1962) - norms from which the mentally ill are
  thought to deviate are based on moral, ethical
  legal concepts (which change with time and
  culture) not medical concepts.
• Thus not appropriate to apply medical concepts
  remedies to abnormal behaviour.
• Psychiatry is a quasi-medical illusion Heather
  (1976).
• Szasz - concept of mental illness has simply
  replaced the beliefs in witchcraft demonology.
• Mentally ill people upset the social order
  labelled as mentally ill still punished by
  being committed to mental hospitals.(Szasz, 1974).

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• Assumption 2-
• The classification systems used to diagnose
  abnormal behaviours have their advantages
  disadvantages (see later lesson!)
• But, theses issues can be brought into a
  discussion of the medical model.
• Assumption 3-
• Biological treatments all have their dangers
  side effects as well as the possibility of
  beneficial effects.
• Using only biological treatments ignores the
  possibility of any psychological causes in need
  of treatment.

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Is there any support for the medical model?

• Support for the medical model support for the
  involvement of genetics, differences in
  neurotransmitters, differences in neuroanatomy ,
  differences in hormones etc relates to specific
  mental disorders. Studies involving both animals
  and humans have contributed to this evidence.
• e.g. Anorexia nervosa
• Serotonin differences in sufferers and non
  sufferers.
• Hypothalamus damage causes a rat to stop eating.
• Increased likelihood of second twin developing
  the disorder if first one has it.

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• NB - Not all disorders have been found to have
  identifiable genetic, biochemical or
  physiological causes.
• But does that mean that these disorders do not
  have some physical cause OR does it just mean
  they
• haven t found one yet!?