Theories of Abnormal Behavior

In a 3-4 page analysis, describe how the chosen theory (Cognitive-behavioral perspective) views behavior in general and how it might describe the cause of the chosen abnormal behavior (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

You will write an analysis that considers possible causes for an abnormal behavior.

See attached document for more detailed instructions.

ANSWER

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Chosen theory in detail and explain how the theory views behavior in general.

Many thousands of therapists worldwide use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an efficient method of psychiatric treatment. According to CBT theory, our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and behavior are all interconnected, and our actions and thoughts have an impact on how we feel.

How the chosen theory describes the cause of the chosen abnormal behavior

The growth of a sense of self and a sense of others is severely interrupted in autism spectrum disorder, according to the psychoanalytic perspective. Psychoanalytical concepts such as dysfunctional self-emergence, internalization, identification, and introjections are used to characterize the causes of autism (Christensen & Zubler, 2020). The topic of treating kids with autism spectrum disorders and uneven development has been widely covered by several skilled professional child psychoanalysts. Therefore, clinical vignettes that offer reassuring and compelling examples of new and established therapies, as well as how treated children may ‘forget’ their ASD diagnosis, have been emphasized in psychoanalytic viewpoints.

Psychoanalytic theories place less emphasis on the cognitive causes and more on the perceived social deficits. According to the object relations theory, for example, autism is caused by an extension of a stage of normal development during which object relations are crucial to perception (Christensen & Zubler, 2020). There are two main psychoanalytic theories for this aspect of autism. Autism is caused by childhood mental illnesses by a deep detachment from the outer world. Autism is regarded to be an outcome of regression to an earlier stage of development and a coping technique for extremely stressful situations.

According to the Cognitive perspective, people with autism spectrum disorders struggle with social engagement, communication, and behavioral flexibility. Children with autism have many of the cognitive deficits seen in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to Pagni et al. (2020). The mental abilities that support planning, self-control, short-term memory, and decision-making are together known as executive function, which is a problem for these young people in particular.  Complex thinking requires the ability to quickly link several lines of thought, which some people with autism may find difficult. Some people could find it difficult to organize their thoughts or behaviors or to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

“Central coherence” was used to describe a person’s capacity to extract overall meaning from a sea of data. People with autism are excellent at paying close attention, so they can pick out a small detail from a sea of complex information or things. The term “low central coherence” can be used to indicate both flaws and advantages. Cognitive interpretations of the condition have led to several cognitive therapeutic modalities for autism.

Children with autism receive a wide range of therapy, with auditory integration training being one of the most crucial, to treat their sensory impairments. Although others claim just slight or no gains, this aids a range of cognitive impairments, including memory and language understanding.

Compare and contrast your chosen viewpoint to the socio-cultural viewpoint

How they view differently

Many people in Ethiopia believed that autistic children were possessed by the devil as a result of their parents’ misdeeds and generally assign supernatural explanations as the cause of autism. The families also experience significant levels of shame.

A physical foundation, a mental health issue, or a result of chemical or air pollution affects the mental being of a child. Those who were on the front lines of the Iran-Iraq war and were hit with chemical weapons showcased higher chances of autism.

Anxieties and stress experienced by mothers are to blame as per the social-cultural beliefs. The autism issue could be brought on by social restrictions placed on families, lack of regular communication with other people, “chlorosis,” or other illnesses.

Many believe that this issue is often brought on by environmental causes. When youngsters are so close to the TV, it made a loud noise that caused them to experience autism. Because of that, children were stunned and rendered paralyzed.

It is only because of people’s crimes and a lack of respect for moral principles that we might have acted improperly without realizing it. Although I am certain that it is the cause, I am unsure of what the improper conduct was. My husband and I are very devoted to following all of the religious laws, and we do our best to do so.

How do they view the same?

According to estimates, genetic factors account for 40 to 80 percent of the risk of ASD. An individual’s likelihood of getting this complex disorder depends on a combination of environmental risk factors, including parental age, delivery difficulties, and additional factors that are still unknown. This is the same as the social-cultural views as they consider that when a family has children from autism it can either be that one of the parents’ lineage has ever had autism. This has been showcased as many religions go against getting married to someone whose families have autism. For instance, in Japan, the family of the boy takes more time to research the family of the lady to be married where they check health issues in the bloodline. This is to ensure that their future grandchildren do not have such conditions. Despite that they do not understand the genetic complex interactions, they still believe in inheritance which shares the same ideas as clinical genetic inheritance.

In the same case, there are relations within the environmental causes of autism which are of the same perception as clinical and social-cultural. Many people in society believe that whatever they are exposed to in the environment while they are pregnant has a larger impact on the health of their babies, which is the same case as clinically approved. Clinically also gives examples that when a child is exposed to an environment with harmful chemicals such as smoking chemicals and even drugs then they have a high chance of having autism.

Benefits and drawbacks to applying multiple theories to define abnormal behavior

Each viewpoint offers a window for viewing evil action, but none encompasses the entire picture. Many academics today feel that deviant behavior patterns are complicated phenomena that can only be understood by considering these various angles. The various viewpoints in contemporary psychology provide researchers and students with tools to tackle issues and provide answers. They aid psychologists in coming up with fresh explanations and forecasts for human behavior. Even the creation of novel therapeutic strategies may result from this investigation and increased understanding.

However, there might raise conflicting information regarding the different viewpoints that the perspectives take. It is common at one point that one perspective can differ from the other perspective. This especially to students becomes confusing as they do not know which one they should follow. They are left with their own choice to measure the weight of the scholars and choose the framework they think is more accurate. This however could be fewer occurrences if only one perspective is proven and based on understanding the different behaviors.

References

Christensen, D., & Zubler, J. (2020). From the CDC: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: An evidence-based review of ASD risk factors, evaluation, and diagnosis. The American journal of nursing, 120(10), 30.

Mucci, F., Carpita, B., Pagni, G., Vecchia, A. D., Bjedov, S., Pozza, A., & Marazziti, D. (2021). Lifetime evolution of ADHD treatment. Journal of Neural Transmission, 128(7), 1085-1098.