Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
A mental disorder refers to a condition that affects a person's thinking, behavior, emotions, or overall mental health. It is characterized by significant distress or impairment in functioning.
This perspective focuses on the unconscious mind and believes that unconscious impulses and conflicts play a significant role in causing mental disorders.
Similar to the psychoanalytic perspective, this perspective emphasizes the unconscious processes but also considers early childhood experiences in understanding mental disorders.