Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author), Gerald C. Davison (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Casebook of 23 in-depth studies of behavioral disorders focusing on symptoms, the client's history, treatment, and outcome. A complete chapter is devoted to each patient. Presents a full range of psychopathologies and types of patients. Many of the cases include vignettes from the initial therapy interviews or from the therapy itself. The book also compares each case with the DSM categories. Presents case failures as well as successes, and points to gaps in current knowledge. A new case concerned with bulimia nervosa includes a description of a cognitive-behavioral approach to the treatment which has been found to be particularly effective in the treatment of this disorder.

From the Back Cover

Connect the Theory to Real Human Stories! Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology takes mental disorders from the realm of theory into the complex reality of human lives. In all, you’ll find 22 in-depth cases that focus on symptoms, the client’s history, treatment, and the outcome. These cases illustrate a variety of problems, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders and various disorders of childhood and aging. They also allow students to see how theories in the field can be applied to real-life problems. Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology, 5/e

• Provides detailed descriptions and examples of a range of clinical problems.
• Illustrates the many ways in which these problems can be viewed and treated.
• Discusses the evidence concerning epidemiology, etiology, and treatment of the disorders in question.
• Includes 10 to 15-year follow-ups for some patients, describing their response to treatment and long-term social adjustment.
• Features a completely new case of bulimia nervosa treated by cognitive-behavior therapy in group format.

How the Case Studies are Structured

• Each case is presented in depth, with a full chapter devoted to each patient.
• Many cases include excerpts of dialog from therapy interviews.
• Each case is compared with DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for relevant disorders.
• Some treatment failures are presented as well as successes.
• New discussions are provided concerning gender-related issues such as the impact of rape and sexual abuse, as well as relational distress and depression.
• All cases end with a discussion of etiology and treatment that illustrates the application of research to individual clients’ problems, and alerts readers to important gaps in our knowledge of abnormal psychology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 5th edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471252166
• ISBN-13: 978-0471252160
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #157,919 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars case studies, October 14, 2007

By	Tiffany J. Lee (Berkeley, California United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology (Paperback)

this case studies book is amazing! in my psych class we were assigned 2 cases but i read all of them because they are fascinating. a must for psych majors/fans

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy 1st timer!!!, October 6, 2009

By	R. Flora "Study freak" (Mo, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology (Paperback)

Got this book 1st just cause! No extra charges for sending seperately from other book ordered! I recommend online purchases!

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Case Studies???, February 11, 2008

By	S. Traeger - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Case Studies in Abnormal Psychology (Paperback)

This book has some incredibly insightful, well researched cases, which are marred by some so-called 'case studies' that are nothing more than postulations based on opinions, NOT case studies! One `case study' is based on a childhood acquaintance and could only be further away from being described as a `case study' if the subject had been an imaginary one. Another case study demonstrated that clearly the disorder has not only been poorly researched, but also includes heresy that defies medical fact (see Gender Identity Disorder).

I believe at least three chapters should be culled from this book, at the VERY least. It ranges from 5 stars for the Separation Anxiety Disorder case study, to 1 star for the Antisocial Personality Disorder `case study'. The Gender Identity Disorder was about a 2 star effort, in my opinion.

Finally, case studies should be just that, case studies, not manufactured ones for the sake of having them in the book. I expected something insightful and interesting, but ended up disappointed and feeling I had been mislead. It's interesting that the best case study was the last one in the book, at least that took a little of the foul taste out of it.