What does it mean to have a disorder? The text mentions several criteria used to define behavior as “abnormal.” However, many psychologists argue that these criteria are unclear and leave considerable room for interpretation. For example, Wakefield (1997) states that “lack of a valid concept of disorder is not just conceptually and methodologically problematic; it is potentially ethically problematic as well. Classification of a condition as disordered has ramifications ranging from those of ‘labeling’ a child or adult as disordered to determinations of whether it is appropriate to treat the condition with drugs”
Familiarize yourself with this important debate and discuss what it means for a child to have a psychological disorder, given the fact that what is abnormal remains challenging to define.