psychological disorder: a pattern of behavior that interferes with a person’s life by causing significant distress or dysfunction.

a sense that another person’s behavior falls outside the normal range. Also includes the extent to which a thought, feeling, or behavior interferes with day-to-day life.

asserts that biological factors within the human body, such as brain structures, neuro chemicals, and genes, are the primary causes of psychological disorders.

asserts that psychological factors—including emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and traits—are the primary causes of psychological disorders. When the inner workings of our minds are flawed in a significant way, they can produce psychological disorders.

asserts that social and cultural factors surrounding the person, rather than factors within the person, are the primary causes of psychological disorders.

a contemporary theory of abnormality acknowledging that a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors contribute to psychological disorders.

~Neurodevelopmental disorders
Autism spectrum disorders, specific learning disorder, intellectual disability, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder


~Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders Schizophrenia, brief psychotic disorder, schizoaffective disorder


~Bipolar and related disorders
Bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder


~Depressive disorders
Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), premenstrual dysphoric disorder


~Anxiety disorders
Specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder,
generalized anxiety disorder

~Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder

~Trauma- and stressor-related disorders
Posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder


~Dissociative disorders
Dissociative identity disorder, dissociative amnesia

~Somatic symptom and related disorders
Somatic symptom disorder, illness anxiety disorder, conversion disorder

~Feeding and eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder


~Elimination disorders
Enuresis, encopresis

~Sleep–wake disorders
Insomnia, narcolepsy

~Sexual dysfunctions
Erectile disorder, female orgasmic disorder

~Gender dysphoria
Gender dysphoria in children, gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults