Abnormal Psychology, Global Edition

Book Preface

Welcome to the 18th edition of Abnormal Psychol-ogy! We are excited to bring you this new revi-sion. Abnormal Psychology (this specific book!) has a long and distinguished tradition as an undergradu-ate text. Ever since James Coleman wrote the first edition in 1948, this title has been considered the most comprehen-sive in the field. Along the way there have been many changes. This is very much the case with this new edition. Jim Butcher, who has guided the book so well for so long, remains with us as an author. However, with this edition and for the future, Harvard Professors Jill Hooley and Matthew Nock assume primary authorship. Both Jill and Matt are committed to excellence and to providing stu-dents with an integrated and comprehensive understand-ing of abnormal psychology.
Each author on the Hooley, Nock, and Butcher team is a noted researcher, an experienced teacher, and a licensed clinician. Each brings different areas of expertise and diverse research interests to the text. And please don’t hold the fact that two of us teach at Harvard against us! We are passionate about abnormal psychology and we are com-mitted to making our text as accessible as possible to a broad range of students. Our approach emphasizes the importance of research as well as the need to translate research findings into informed and effective clinical care for all who suffer from mental disorders.
There are many different types of psychological disor-ders, and each is caused by the interaction of many differ-ent factors and can be considered from multiple different perspectives. We use a biopsychosocial approach to pro-vide a sophisticated appreciation of the total context in which abnormalities of behavior occur. This means that we present and describe the wide range of biological, psycho-logical, and social factors that work together to lead to the development of psychological disorders. In addition, we discuss treatment approaches that target each of these dif-ferent factors.
For ease of understanding we present material on each disorder in a logical and consistent way. More specifically, we focus on three significant aspects: (1) the clinical pic-ture, where we describe the symptoms of the disorder and its associated features; (2) factors involved in the develop-ment of the disorder; and (3) treatment approaches. In each case, we examine the evidence for biological, psychosocial (i.e., psychological and interpersonal), and sociocultural (the broader social environment of culture and subculture) influences. We also want students to remember that behind every diagnosis is a person. To keep this in the forefront, we try to integrate as much case material as we can into each chapter. Our book also continues to have a heavy focus on treatment. Treatment is discussed in every chapter in the context of specific disorders. Additionally, we include a separate chapter that addresses issues in treatment more broadly. This provides students with increased under-standing of a wide range of treatment approaches and per-mits more in-depth coverage than is possible in specific disorder–based chapters.
We continue to be intensely curious about, and fasci-nated by, abnormal human behavior. With this new edi-tion, we seek to open up the world of abnormal psychology to another generation of students, providing comprehen-sive and up-to-date knowledge about the most central dis-orders in a clear and engaging way. We hope that this newest edition conveys some of the excitement and enthu-siasm for the topic that we experience every day.

Why Do You Need This  New Edition?

The book you are reading is the 18th edition of Abnormal Psychology. Why is a revision needed, and why is an old copy of an earlier edition not good enough? If the field of abnormal psychology never advanced and never changed, old editions would surely be fine. But new research is being published all the time. As authors, it is important to us that these changes and new ways of thinking about the etiology, assessment, and treatment of psychological disorders are accurately presented in this text. Although some ideas and diagnostic concepts have persisted for hundreds of years, changes in think-ing routinely occur. A key example here is the develop-ing field of immunopsychiatry. Advances in areas such as genetics, brain imaging, behavioral observation, and classification, as well as changes in social and govern-ment policy and in legal decisions, also add to our knowledge base and stimulate new treatments for those whose lives are touched by mental disorders. Every time we work on a revision of Abnormal Psychology we are
reminded of how dynamic and vibrant our field is (not to mention how hard it is to keep up with all the new research!). This edition reflects the newest and most rel-evant research findings, presented in ways designed to be as engaging as possible to the next generation of students.
So What’s New?
True to form, we’ve done a lot of updating! This means hundreds of new studies/citations, dozens of new videos, images, and much more! We also continue to focus on streamlining material throughout the book, decreasing the length of chapters where possible while retaining all of the key information that students should know.
In this edition, Chapters 2, 4, 12, and 17 have received particular attention, updates, and revisions. But every other chapter has also been updated, and new features have been added throughout. To give just a few exam-ples, in Chapter 4, we now describe new assessment methods increasingly being used by psychologists to understand human behavior, such as smartphones and wearable biosensors. In Chapter 7, we describe how psy-chologists can now use brain imaging techniques to iden-tify which people are thinking about suicide and which are not. In Chapter 11, we provide updated information about what is known about the effects of some recre-ational drugs, such as ecstasy. Chapter 12 has been revised significantly to include updated information about sexual dysfunctions, gender dysphoria, and para-philic disorders. And in Chapter 17, we now discuss the Goldwater Rule, which has long prohibited mental health professionals from commenting on the mental health of people they have not formally assessed. We’ll stop there so as to not to give too much away. But suffice it to say, there is lots of exciting new information in the 18th edition!
Importantly, this edition retains features that were well received in the previous edition. To assist both instructors and students, we continue to feature specialized boxes, highlighting many of the key changes that occurred from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5. We also provide a detailed but accessible description of the new National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (or “RDoC”) approach because this is now playing a central role in research on abnormal psychology. In addition, as before, chapters begin with learning objectives. These orient the reader to the material that will be presented in each specific chapter. Learning objectives are also repeated by the section they apply to and summarized at the end of each chapter. Most chapters also begin with a case study that illustrates the mental health problems to be addressed in the chapter. As noted, numerous new references, photographs, and illustrations have also been added. In short, outdated material has been replaced, current findings have been included, and new developments have been identified. Especially important for students, all of this has been accomplished without adding length to the book! We hope you enjoy this latest edition.
Features and Pedagogy
The extensive research base and accessible organization of this book are supported by high-interest features and helpful pedagogy to further engage students and support learning. We also hope to encourage students to think in depth about the topics they are learning about through specific highlight features that emphasize critical thinking.
Features
FEATURE BOXES Special sections, called “Developments in Research,” “Developments in Thinking,” “Develop-ments in Practice,” and “The World Around Us,” highlight topics of particular interest, focusing on applications of research to everyday life, current events, and the latest re-search methodologies, technologies, and findings.
CRITICAL THINKING Many of the revisions from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5 were highly contentious and con-troversial. A feature box called “Thinking Critically about DSM-5” introduces students to the revised DSM and en-courages them to think critically about the implications of these changes.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES All chapters include end-of-chapter sections that demonstrate how far we have come and how far we have yet to go in our understanding of psychological disorders. The topics covered here provide insight into the future of the field and expose students to some controversial subjects.

Pedagogy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Each chapter begins with learning objectives. These orient the reader to the mate-rial that will be presented in each specific chapter. Learn-ing objectives are also repeated by the section they apply to and summarized at the end of each chapter. This pro-vides students with an excellent tool for study and re-view. In this edition, sections of many chapters havealso been reorganized and material has been streamlined whenever possible. All the changes that have been made are designed to improve the flow of the writing and en-hance pedagogy.
CASE STUDIES Extensive case studies of individuals with various disorders are integrated in the text through-out the book. Some are brief excerpts; others are detailed analyses. These cases bring important aspects of the dis-orders to life. They also remind readers that the problems of abnormal psychology affect the lives of people—people from all kinds of diverse backgrounds who have much in common with all of us.
DSM-5 BOXES Throughout the book these boxes contain the most up-to-date (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for all of the disorders discussed. In a convenient and visually ac-cessible form, they provide a helpful study tool that re-flects current diagnostic practice. They also help students understand disorders in a real-world context.
RESEARCH CLOSE-UP TERMS Appearing throughout each chapter, these terms illuminate research methodolo-gies. They are designed to give students a clearer under-standing of some of the most important research concepts in the field of abnormal psychology.
CHAPTER SUMMARIES Each chapter ends with a summary of the essential points of the chapter organized around the learning objectives presented at the start of the chapter. These summaries use bulleted lists rather than formal paragraphs. This makes the information more ac-cessible for students and easier to scan.
KEY TERMS Key terms are identified in each chapter. Key terms are also listed at the end of every chapter with page numbers referencing where they can be found in the body of the text. Key terms are also defined in the Glossary at the end of the text.