Glossary

Adolescence

Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood. Adolescence is commonly associated with the teenage years.

Behaviourist viewpoint

Behaviourism describes a psychological approach to understanding human behaviour and other animals. It assumes that behaviour is either a reflex provoked by particular stimuli within the environment or as a consequence of that individual’s history, including their upbringing and learning within their environment.

Bio-medical perspective

Biomedicine and the biomedical approach is a branch of medical science that draws upon biology to explain and understand health and ill health.

Psychological perspective

Also termed the psychological model of mental illness focuses on how the mind works and the effect of this on a young person’s thoughts, feelings, and subsequent behaviour.

Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited health condition that causes mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system.

Emotional disorders

Describes the difficulties experienced with mood and emotions such as feelings of anxiety or depression.

Mental disorders

Mental disorders are generally characterised by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and relationships with other people. Mental disorders are varied and include depression and anxiety as well as conditions such as schizophrenia, OCD and psychoses.

OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.

Psychodynamics

Describes an approach to psychology that emphasises systematic study of the psychological forces that underlie human behaviour, feelings, and emotions and how they might relate to early experience.

Social perspective

Also termed the social model of mental illness focuses on the social environment and the roles people play and views mental illness as being a consequence of how young people are viewed and treated in society, rather than determined by biology.

Stigma

Stigma is a term used to describe the disapproval of, or discrimination against, an individual or group of individuals based on their appearance or behaviour that distinguishes them from other members of a society.