Abnormal Psychology

by Ronald J. Comer

An award winning teacher, accomplished researcher, and experienced therapist, Ron Comer knows how to communicate the complexities of the abnormal psychology, to speak to the concerns of students, and to portray the real human impact of psychological disorders. With its signature integrated coverage of theory, diagnosis, and treatment, and remarkably inclusive cross cultural perspective, this new edition of Comer’s widely adopted textbook shows students where the study and treatment of psychological disorders stand today. In addition to a thorough updating, the new edition employs some extraordinary interactive tools to bring students face to face with the realities of psychological dysfunction, organized for easy access and assignability in LaunchPad, Worth Publishers’ breakthrough online course space. What's in the LaunchPad Illustrations Approx. 125 p.

Genres: Psychology, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Science, School, Reference, Read For School

848 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Ronald J. Comer has been a professor in Princeton University's Department of Psychology for the past 50 years, also serving for many years as director of Clinical Psychology Studies and as chair of the university's Institutional Review Board. In 2016 he transitioned to emeritus status at the university. He has received the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton, where his various courses in psychopathology were among the university's most popular.
Professor Comer is also Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He has also been a practicing clinical psychologist and served as a consultant to numerous hospitals, family practice residency programs, and autism programs.
In addition to writing the textbooks Fundamentals of Psychopathology (eleventh edition), Psychopathology: Science and Practice (twelfth edition), Psychology Around Us (fourth edition), and Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology (third edition), Professor Comer has published a range of journal articles and produced numerous widely used educational video programs, including The Higher Education Video Library Series, The Video Anthology for Psychopathology, The Worth Video Collection for Psychopathology, Video Segments in Neuroscience, Introduction to Psychology Video Clipboard, and Developmental Psychology Video Clipboard.
Professor Comer was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate student at Clark University. He currently lives in Florida with his wife, Marlene.

Reviews

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
First of all, I am happy with myself on completing this textbook despite being a non-psychology student.

Now, talking about the textbook, the latest DSM-5 edition, it is one of the finest written and designed textbook (in terms of content, illustration and formatting, very interactive, never feels boring and in-attractive) I have ever gone through.

I love to learn psychology because it helps to understand about human behavior, more about ourselves. This textbook discusses about the various types of complex human behavior aka "psychological disorders" apart from the every day normal sanity, most of which we simply state as "lunacy" but it is much more complex than that, there is a lot of things going inside that "beautiful human mind". Reality is stranger than fiction and this book on abnormal psychology state it in a concrete manner, stating various reasons for such human condition and how we can help through medicine and other forms of treatment and care.

I came to learn a lot of things about human behavior, its strangeness and its peculiarities. It could act as great resource for any one who is researching to write a psychological crime thriller. A v.good long 7oo + pages read.

[miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my textbook for my abnormal psych class LOL

the content was so interesting I feel like this class should be part of core curriculum for students bc it’s so important teach people about this stuff

giving it 4 stars just bc I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more if school didn’t make everything feel so stressful lol

– 07/02/2022

[Rebekah Sheppard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I focused on the section regarding obsessive compulsive behavior.

One point take away: drugs can help with alleviating these symptoms, but the two drugs that show the most improvement in reducing symptoms are the ones that increase serotonin activity. I have since researched natural foods and lifestyle patterns that can boost serotonin levels.

He also defines behavioral and cognitive therapies; treating a patient using a combination of the two therapies has been more effective than either approach alone.

[Willow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really boring!!! Informative.

I'm going to qualify this a little and change my rating from one to three stars. as a textbook it's pretty good, they added boxes on each page that discuss current issues and provide stats to give you a better picture of different disorders. My frustration is really directed at my teacher. it's not the book's fault.

[Reagan Formea]

Yes I did read this textbook in its entirety & took in depth notes…but I learned A TON.

[Kristina Lewis-Jacczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It was actually my textbook for an Abnormal Psychology course, and it breaks down almost every psychological disorder. I learned a lot from this book, as it explained specific diagnosis criteria and possible treatments and causes of the disorders. I even refer back to it once in a while. Almost every person can relate to this book, whether personally or through a friend or family member. Very informative, and puts things into perspective.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can relate for this.. smile on my face.. lol =)*

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, great college course.

[Tracey1001 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well-presented & accessible book that you can't stop yourself from getting sidetracked whilst using it as a resource. An excellent book.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome text book loved this class!! so informative

[Dmitry · Rating 4 out of 5]

(The English review is placed beneath the Russian one)

Как уже отметили многие англоязычные читатели, книга очень доступно написана, многие темы носят не специализированный характер, вследствие чего книга вполне может понравиться и не специалистам в данном вопросе. Эта книга чем-то напомнила мне университетский учебник по психологии Psychology by David G. Myers или Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction by Douglas T. Kenrick, Steven L. Neuberg, Robert B. Cialdini. Схожесть всех трёх книг заключается как раз в хорошо и интересно написанном тексте, который будет интересен всем тем, кого просто интересует психология как таковая. В этом смысле, книга Abnormal Psychology является важным дополнением к трём вышеназванным учебникам.

Что касается меня, то, как я отметил выше, мне было интересно читать книгу, да и текст в книге простой и понятный, однако чего-то нового в книге я не нашёл. Да, в каждой главе есть тема лечения того или иного психологического расстройства, но так как я не являюсь и не собираюсь становиться клиническим психологом, этот вопрос меня не сильно интересовал. Возможно, исключительно в целях общего знакомства с темой, но не более.

Но какие темы вообще поднимает это учебное пособие? Я отмечу лишь несколько, самые популярные или общеизвестные темы.

Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders
Depressive and Bipolar Disorder
Suicide
Eating Disorders
Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
Sexual Disorders and Gender Variations
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
Disorders Common Among Children and Adolescents
Disorders of Aging and Cognition

Как видим, многие темы, так или иначе, циркулируют в СМИ, Интернете и обществе в целом. Но для себя я ничего нового и особо примечательного в книге не нашёл, вследствие чего я считаю, что лучшим определением данной книги было бы введение в данную тему. Т.е. данная книга скорее является первым знакомством, неглубоким обзором, чем полноценным и профессиональным знакомством с данной областью. Это не значит что книга плохая, т.е. по мне, книга лучше всего подходит для первого знакомства или максимально возможного погружения широкой аудитории в обсуждаемую проблему. Что касается специалистов, то им одного этого учебного пособия будет явно недостаточно.

As many English-speaking readers have already noted, the book is very accessible, and many of the topics are not specialized, so the book may well appeal to non-specialists. This book reminded me of a university textbook on psychology Psychology by David G. Myers or Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction by Douglas T. Kenrick, Steven L. Neuberg, and Robert B. Cialdini. The similarity of all three books lies precisely in the well and interestingly written text, which will be of interest to all those who are simply interested in psychology as such. In this sense, Abnormal Psychology is an important complement to the three textbooks mentioned above.

As for me, as I noted above, I was interested in reading the book, and the text in the book is simple and understandable, but I did not find something new in the book. Yes, in each chapter, there is a theme of treatment of this or that psychological disorder, but since I am not and am not going to become a clinical psychologist, this question did not interest me much. Perhaps solely for general familiarization with the topic, but no more.

But what topics does this textbook even cover? I will mention just a few of the most popular or well-known topics.

Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders
Depressive and Bipolar Disorder
Suicide
Eating Disorders
Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
Sexual Disorders and Gender Variations
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
Disorders Common Among Children and Adolescents
Disorders of Aging and Cognition

As you can see, many topics are circulating in one way or another in the media, the Internet, and society in general. However, I did not find anything new or particularly noteworthy in the book, so I believe that the best definition of this book would be an introduction to the topic. This book is more of a first introduction than a full-fledged and professional introduction to the field. This does not mean that the book is bad, i.e., to me, the book is best suited for a first acquaintance or for immersing the general audience in the discussed problem as much as possible. As for specialists, this textbook alone will not be enough for them.

[Alexandra Caucutt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not psyched about reading this book.

[Synne Sylibris]

I read the following chapters in the tenth edition of this book for school:
1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18.
It was interesting, engaging and well structured!
Wish me luck on my exam:)

[Barack Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

339-Abnormal psychology-Ronald Comer-Psychology-1992

Barack
2021/06/2 1

" Abnormal psychology ", first edition in 1992. It mainly discusses some psychological problems.

Ronald Comer, born in 1947. Studied at the University of Pennsylvania and Clark University. He is 1993 won the years at The President is ' S Award for Distinguished Teaching. Representative works: " Abnormal psychology " and so on.

Table of Contents
1. Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present
2. Research in Abnormal Psychology
3. Models of Abnormality
4. Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment
5. Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders
6. Disorders of Trauma and Stress
7. Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
8. Treatments for Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
9. Suicide
10. Disorders Featuring Somatic Symptoms

" Most of us would probably consider Johanne's and Alberto's emotions,
thoughts, and behaviors psychologically abnormal. They are the result of a
state sometimes called psychopathology, maladjustment, emotional
disturbance, or mental illness (see PsychWatch ). ”

When the material is not developed enough, people do not have enough resources and interest to study mental illness. Unfortunately, people suffering from mental illness are regarded as monsters and aliens, unable to have a life similar to normal people. Only when the social and economic development reaches a certain stage, people are willing to invest resources to understand the inner depths of these small groups of people.

" Still, most of the
definitions have certain features in common, often called “the four Ds”:
deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger. That is, patterns of psychological
abnormality are typically deviant (different, extreme, unusual, perhaps even
bizarre), distressing (unpleasant and upsetting to the person), dysfunctional
(interfering with the person's ability to conduct daily activities in a
constructive way), and possibly dangerous. ”

Psychology is related to human sensibility and can be regarded as social science, so its definition is difficult. However, despite the lack of an accepted definition, we can still find some similarities.

" In short, abnormal behavior, thoughts, and emotions are those that differ
markedly from a society's ideas about proper functioning. Each society
establishes norms—stated and unstated rules for proper conduct. Behavior
that breaks legal norms is considered to be criminal. Behavior, thoughts, and
emotions that break norms of psychological functioning are called abnormal. ”

There is a saying that genius and madman may only be separated by a thin line. Of course, this sentence is a very extreme statement, but it also means that genius and madman have some "similarities". A genius can think of and do things that others can't or can't, but often these are positive and good aspects; lunatics will also think and do things that others can't or can't, but they are often negative. Therefore, in our pursuit of innovation, we must not only be different but also see whether the difference has a positive effect.

" Even functioning that is considered unusual does not necessarily qualify as
abnormal. According to many clinical theorists, behavior, ideas, or emotions
usually have to cause distress before they can be labeled abnormal. ”

Apart from physiological disease regardless, people's own distress may also become a physiological disease cause, so we need to maintain a healthy mind, just to maintain a healthy body, helps the body fight disease the same.

" Abnormal behavior tends to be dysfunctional; that is, it interferes with daily
functioning. It so upsets, distracts, or confuses people that they cannot care
for themselves properly, participate in ordinary social interactions, or work
productively. "

If mental anxiety affects daily life, it also means that we may not be able to accomplish what we should accomplish. This may also be a psychological abnormality. For example, because of our own psychological barriers, there are no Measures to complete their studies or produce procrastination, which is a kind of possible mental illness, but to varying degrees Bale.

" Perhaps the ultimate psychological dysfunction is behavior that becomes
dangerous to oneself or others. Individuals whose behavior is consistently
careless, hostile, or confused may be placing themselves or those around
them at risk. ”

A person's mental disorder means that his behavior is unpredictable. The reason why people can act in accordance with the rules of society and not do things that hurt themselves or others is not that everyone is a saint, but because they can see that the consequences of doing so are not worth the loss, so they do not do dangerous things. behavior, but once the ability to self-control disappears when that one person could make aggressive behavior, which is a source of danger.

“ Despite their differences, most clinicians do agree that large numbers of
people need therapy of one kind or another. Later you will encounter
evidence that therapy is indeed often helpful. ”

In fact, even in daily life, everyone receives "psychotherapy" in one form or another. This type of psychotherapy does not necessarily involve seeing a psychologist. For example, talking with friends may also be a way of easing psychology. Way. This actually explains why people need intimacy, because to a certain extent, people use intimacy to alleviate their possible psychological problems, and prevent them from accumulating to a certain extent and becoming more and more serious.

" In
fact, surveys have found that 43 percent of respondents believe that people
bring mental disorders on themselves, 31 percent consider such disorders to
be a sign of personal weakness, and 35 percent believe the disorders are
caused by sinful behavior (Roper, 2017; Stuber et al., 2014; NMHA, 1999). ”

THE WORD ABNORMAL IS OFTEN translated as "abnormal". This word has an obvious derogatory meaning in the Chinese context. This makes Abnormal Psychology became so most people terrified of the word, most also lack the basic concept of it.

I believe that with the progress of society and the economy, people's scientific understanding of mental illness will gradually increase. Perhaps 30 years later, people will take a more objective attitude towards people with mental disorders.

“ “ My philosophy is if you worry, you suffer twice.” (Fantastic Beasts and Where to
Find Them, 2016)
" I suffer from short-term memory loss." (Finding Dory, 2016)
" Fear of death is illogical." (Star Trek Beyond, 2016)
" She wore the gloves all the time, so I just thought, maybe she has a thing about
dirt." (Frozen, 2013)
" I just want to be perfect." (Black Swan, 2010)
" Take baby steps." (What About Bob? 1991)
" I love the smell of napalm in the morning." (Apocalypse Now, 1979)
" Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?" (Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981)
" Are you talking 'to me?" (Taxi Driver, 1976)
“ Mother's not herself today.” (Psycho, 1960) ”

Everyone may suffer from different degrees and forms of mental abnormalities, which to a certain extent also shows that it is a common phenomenon. No one is always optimistic and can completely avoid negative emotions and obscure psychology, but the focus is still on the degree, which can often be reflected in words and actions. If we are careful to pay attention to the people close to their own language and actions, we may be able to timely discover and avoid them in the spirit that might exist a significant abnormality.

[The Story Girl (Serenity) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems to give a very cursory glance at some of the major psychological disorders and does injustice to topics such as ADHD. The author seems to bring his own biases and only uses studies that reinforce his view, rather than covering the topic thoroughly from different angles. Even I could write a more informative and helpful section that is less cliched on the topic. I can't believe they actually use this book to teach at universities, even in graduate level classes?! That also makes me question the critical thinking skills of the professors who would assign this book.

[Savannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get through this textbook. Partly because the professor offered a lot of materials on her own and the book became completely unnecessary and partly because it was boring to me. I like abnormal psychology and I did enjoy the personal stories about people suffering from the various disorders however the book was too long winded for my taste.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this textbook. Definitely my favorite this semester. The subject of abnormal psychology is really interesting to me already, and this book definitely helped. I looked forward to doing my readings each week, which is not very common for me. I really recommend this for any abnormal psychology reading.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and easy to follow. Explains every disorder from every psychological perspective and ways it can be treated. If I was sure the edition wouldn't change after the DSM-V is released, I'd keep it for brief references.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Undergrad book, easy read.

[S. Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since Behavioral Studies is my field of interest, I found Abnormal Psychology to be very fascinating. This is a great book to read even if you are not studying psychology.

[Alex Greensall]

Was good helped alot

[John Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I currently use the 11th edition of this book for my Abnormal Psychology class - it has some great content and the students seem to really enjoy doing the readings. It has a very predictable formula that helps the students focus more on the content. I will probably continue to use this text in the semesters to come.

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to study the entirety of the book for my Abnormal Psy class. There is a lot of material and it is well explained and has great examples. It tries to be culturally and gender sensitive and I think it does a great job. I enjoyed it a lot.

[holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

10th ed. Well-designed, easy to read, clear structure, effectively highlights the most important information. I do think that some sections could have been more efficient/condensed, especially in chapters that cover a large number of conditions.

[Indira Wolf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ughhh....thank goodness I got through this course...A few of the chapters and details of chapters of this textbook were alright, but other than that....*faceplant*

[Ida Aasebøstøl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pinefullt pensum.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall great learning text.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

college textbook

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read, good introduction.

[Heather Wright]

Interesting school book