Psychopathology Case Study

Although none of Nancy Christopher's neighbors knew her, they all knew of her. They usually referred to her as "the crazy cat lady" because of the dozen or more cats she had living on her property and in her home. No one was quite sure what Nancy did for a living, if anything. She lived alone and would only be seen leaving her house on Saturday afternoons, when she would push a shopping cart into town to shop for groceries and supplies. Nancy often appeared disheveled, with uncombed hair, smeared lipstick, and a dirty winter coat that she had owned for years and always wore outdoors, even when the weather was warm.

Nancy was not unfriendly to people-in fact, quite the contrary. On her trips into town, she would talk to almost anybody she encountered, sometimes at great length. Her chatter was always pleasant and it made sense, though people would still feel uncomfortable with her inappropriately intimate disclosures and her habit of talking almost incessantly with frequent and seemingly random changes in topic. All in all, most people considered her harmless and generally left her alone.

Do Nancy Christopher's peculiar habits make her "abnormal"? Why or why not?

What more would you need to know about Nancy Christopher to determine whether she likely has a mental disorder or is just eccentric?

Imagine that you're Nancy's physician and her daughter has expressed concern that her behavior may indicate the presence of schizophrenia.

(a) What evidence is there to suggest that Nancy might have schizophrenia? (b) What evidence is there to suggest that Nancy might not have schizophrenia?

Continue to imagine that you're Nancy's physician, and that you suspect Nancy may have an anxiety disorder of some kind. What kinds of symptoms might you check for to confirm your suspicion?

If Nancy's behaviors do not fit any DSM-V criteria for diagnosis as a mental disorder, does that mean that she is definitely normal? Why or why not?