Case Studies in Abnormal Behavior

This rich collection of case studies integrates contemporary and recognizable classic cases to illustrate a wide range of clinical and legal issues related to abnormal psychology. Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology brings the field of abnormal psychology to life for students with its rare combination of readability, humor, and strong scholarship.To enable students to more fully understand the nature of the disorder, each case in this book contains the full background material relevant to etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic considerations. Also, significant family and social history data are presented in order to give students a clear picture of how specific behavior patterns were generated and maintained.Highly recognizable and interesting cases such as Jeffrey Dahmer (Ch. 8), Bill Clinton (Ch. 8), Princess Diana (Ch. 10), and Ronald Reagan (Ch. 15) make the book readable and interesting for students and demonstrate the real-life relevance of psychological disorders. Historically important cases such as Anna O. (Ch. 4) and Daniel Paul Schreber (Ch. 6) provide historical background of the field in an applied manner. Chapter 16, "Legal Issues and Psychological Practice," provides background in the high-interest intersection of psychology and law, forensic psychology, or criminal psychology. Integrated cases such as O.J. Simpson (Ch. 1), Ted Bundy (Ch. 11), and Theodore Kaczynski (Ch. 11) highlight legal issues. Includes up-to-date material from DSM-IV-TR and recent journal research to further enrich the text. A chapter on Positive Mental Health-not found in most other texts in this area-offers a good counterpart to the surrounding disorder-specific chapters (Ch. 17). Liberal use of quotes and anecdotes stimulates critical thinking and provides many points for class discussion.