What are the four D’s of Psychological Disorders?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Deviance, Distress, Dysfunction and Danger
No definition of abnormality has won universal acceptance, but most share four features, the ‘four Ds’: deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger. Psychological disorders are deviant (different, extreme, unusual, even bizarre), distressing (unpleasant and upsetting to the person and to others), dysfunctional (interfering with the ability to carry out daily activities) and possibly dangerous (to the person or to others).
Each other option slips in a word that is not one of the four features: depression is itself a disorder, not a feature of every disorder, and doubt, dread, debt and diversion are not features of disorders at all.
NCERT (2025-26): “Concepts of Abnormality and Psychological Disorders … Although many definitions of abnormality have been used over the years, none has won universal acceptance. Still, most definitions have certain common features, often called the ‘four Ds’: deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger. That is, psychological disorders are deviant (different, extreme, unusual, even bizarre), distressing (unpleasant and upsetting to the person and to others), dysfunctional (interfering with the person’s ability to carry out daily activities in a constructive way), and possibly dangerous (to the person or to others).…” |