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Fundamentals of Abnormal
ninth edition
RONALD J. COMER
Princeton University
JONATHAN S. COMER
Florida International University
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http://www.macmillanlearning.com
With boundless love and appreciation, to Marlene Comer and Jami Furr, who fill our lives with love
and joy.
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About the Authors
RONALD J. COMER has been a professor in Princeton University’s Department of
for the past 44 years, serving also as director of Clinical Studies and as chair of the
university’s Institutional Review Board. He has recently transitioned to emeritus status at the
university. He has received the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton,
where his various courses in abnormal psychology have been among the university’s most
popular.
Professor Comer is also Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community
Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He is a practicing clinical psychologist
and a consultant to Eden Autism Services and to hospitals and family practice residency
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programs throughout New Jersey.
In addition to writing the textbooks Fundamentals of Abnormal (ninth edition),
Abnormal (tenth edition), Around Us (second edition), and Case Studies in
Abnormal (second edition), Professor Comer has published a range of journal articles
and produced numerous widely used educational video programs, including The Higher
Education Video Library Series, The Video Anthology for Abnormal , Video Segments in
Neuroscience, Introduction to Video Clipboard, and Developmental Video
Clipboard.
Professor Comer was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate
student at Clark University. He currently lives in renceville, New Jersey, with his wife
Marlene. From there he can keep a close eye on the often-frustrating Philadelphia sports teams
with whom he grew up.
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JONATHAN S. COMER is a professor of psychology at Florida International University,
where he also directs the Mental Health Interventions and Technology (MINT) Program. He is –
President of the Society of Clinical (Division 12 of the American Psychological
Association) and a leader in the field of clinical child and adolescent psychology. The author of
130 scientific papers and chapters, he has received career awards from the American
Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Association for
Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies for his research on innovative treatment methods, childhood
anxiety and disruptive behaviors, and the impact of traumatic stress, disasters, and terrorism on
children. His current work also focuses on ties between psychopathology, neurocircuitry, and the
intergenerational transmission of psychological problems.
In addition to Fundamentals of Abnormal (ninth edition), Professor Comer has
authored Abnormal (tenth edition) and Childhood Disorders (second edition) and
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edited The Oxford Handbook of Research Strategies for Clinical , among other books. He
serves as Associate Editor of the journal Behavior Therapy and is on the Board of Directors of the
Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent . He is a Fellow of the American
Psychological Association, the Society of Clinical , and the Society for Child and
Family Policy and Practice. He is also a practicing clinical psychologist.
Professor Comer was an undergraduate at the University of Rochester and a graduate student
at Temple University. He currently lives in South Florida with his wife Jami and their children
Delia and Emmett. He loves music—both playing and listening—and enjoys keeping an eye on
the often-frustrating Philadelphia sports teams that his father taught him to love/hate.
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Brief Contents
Abnormal in Science and Clinical Practice
1 Abnormal : Past and Present
2 Models of Abnormality
3 Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Problems of Anxiety and Mood
4 Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders
5 Disorders of Trauma and Stress
6 Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
7 Suicide
Problems of the Mind and Body
8 Disorders Featuring Somatic Symptoms
9 Eating Disorders
10 Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
11 Sexual Disorders and Gender Variations
Problems of Psychosis
12 Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
Life-Span Problems
13 Personality Disorders
14 Disorders Common Among Children and Adolescents
15 Disorders of Aging and Cognition
Conclusion
16 , Society, and the Mental Health Profession
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Contents
Preface
CHAPTER 1
Abnormal : Past and Present
What Is Psychological Abnormality?
Deviance
Distress
Dysfunction
Danger
The Elusive Nature of Abnormality
What Is Treatment?
How Was Abnormality Viewed and Treated in the Past?
Ancient Views and Treatments
Greek and Roman Views and Treatments
Europe in the Middle Ages: Demonology Returns
The Renaissance and the Rise of Asylums
The Nineteenth Century: Reform and Moral Treatment
The Early Twentieth Century: The Somatogenic and Psychogenic Perspectives
Recent Decades and Current Trends
How Are People with Severe Disturbances Cared For?
How Are People with Less Severe Disturbances Treated?
A Growing Emphasis on Preventing Disorders and Promoting Mental Health
Multicultural
The Increasing Influence of Insurance Coverage
What Are Today’s Leading Theories and Professions?
Technology and Mental Health
What Do Clinical Researchers Do?
The Case Study
The Correlational Method
The Experimental Method
Alternative Research Designs
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What Are the Limits of Clinical Investigations?
Protecting Human Participants
Moving Forward
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
PSYCHWATCH Verbal Debuts
PSYCHWATCH Marching to a Different Drummer: Eccentrics
INFOCENTRAL Happiness
MINDTECH The Use and Misuse of Social Media
CHAPTER 2
Models of Abnormality
The Biological Model
How Do Biological Theorists Explain Abnormal Behavior?
Biological Treatments
Assessing the Biological Model
The Psychodynamic Model
How Did Freud Explain Normal and Abnormal Functioning?
How Do Other Psychodynamic Explanations Differ from Freud’s?
Psychodynamic Therapies
Assessing the Psychodynamic Model
The Cognitive-Behavioral Model
The Behavioral Dimension
The Cognitive Dimension
The Cognitive-Behavioral Interplay
Assessing the Cognitive-Behavioral Model
The Humanistic-Existential Model
Rogers’ Humanistic Theory and Therapy
Gestalt Theory and Therapy
Spiritual Views and Interventions
Existential Theories and Therapy
Assessing the Humanistic-Existential Model
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The Sociocultural Model: Family-Social and Multicultural Perspectives
How Do Family-Social Theorists Explain Abnormal Functioning?
Family-Social Treatments
How Do Multicultural Theorists Explain Abnormal Functioning?
Multicultural Treatments
Assessing the Sociocultural Model
Integrating the Models: The Developmental Psychopathology Perspective
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
… TRENDING TV Drug Ads Come Under Attack
INFOCENTRAL Mindfulness
MINDTECH Have Your Avatar Call My Avatar
CHAPTER 3
Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Clinical Assessment: How and Why Does the Client Behave Abnormally?
Characteristics of Assessment Tools
Clinical Interviews
Clinical Tests
Clinical Observations
Diagnosis: Does the Client’s Syndrome Match a Known Disorder?
Classification Systems
DSM-5
Is DSM-5 an Effective Classification System?
Call for Change
Can Diagnosis and Labeling Cause Harm?
Treatment: How Might the Client Be Helped?
Treatment Decisions
The Effectiveness of Treatment
What Lies Ahead for Clinical Assessment?
Key Terms
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Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
MINDTECH ’s WikiLeaks?
… TRENDING The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth
INFOCENTRAL DSM: The Bigger Picture
CHAPTER 4
Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
The Sociocultural Perspective: Societal and Multicultural Factors
The Psychodynamic Perspective
The Humanistic Perspective
The Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective
The Biological Perspective
Phobias
Specific Phobias
Agoraphobia
What Causes Phobias?
How Are Phobias Treated?
Social Anxiety Disorder
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
The Biological Perspective
The Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
What Are the Features of Obsessions and Compulsions?
The Psychodynamic Perspective
The Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective
The Biological Perspective
Obsessive-Compulsive-Related Disorders
Integrating the Models: The Developmental Psychopathology Perspective
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Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
… TRENDING Separation Anxiety Disorder, Not Just For Kids Anymore
INFOCENTRAL Fear
MINDTECH Social Media Jitters
CHAPTER 5
Disorders of Trauma and Stress
Stress and Arousal: The Fight-or-Flight Response
Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders
What Triggers Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders?
Why Do People Develop Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders?
How Do Clinicians Treat Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders?
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative Identity Disorder
How Do Theorists Explain Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Identity Disorder?
How Are Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Identity Disorder Treated?
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Getting a Handle on Trauma and Stress
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
INFOCENTRAL Sexual Assault
MINDTECH Virtual Reality Therapy: Better than the Real Thing?
PSYCHWATCH Repressed Childhood Memories or False Memory Syndrome?
PSYCHWATCH Peculiarities of Memory
CHAPTER 6
Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
Unipolar Depression: The Depressive Disorders
How Common Is Unipolar Depression?
What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
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Diagnosing Unipolar Depression
Stress and Unipolar Depression
The Biological Model of Unipolar Depression
The Psychological Models of Unipolar Depression
The Sociocultural Model of Unipolar Depression
Integrating the Models: The Developmental Psychopathology Perspective
Bipolar Disorders
What Are the Symptoms of Mania?
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorders
What Causes Bipolar Disorders?
What Are the Treatments for Bipolar Disorders?
Making Sense of All That Is Known
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
PSYCHWATCH Sadness at the Happiest of Times
INFOCENTRAL Exercise and Dietary Supplements
MINDTECH Texting: A Relationship Buster?
PSYCHWATCH Abnormality and Creativity: A Delicate Balance
CHAPTER 7
Suicide
What Is Suicide?
How Is Suicide Studied?
Patterns and
What Triggers a Suicide?
Stressful Events and Situations
Mood and Thought Changes
Alcohol and Other Drug Use
Mental Disorders
Modeling: The Contagion of Suicide
What Are the Underlying Causes of Suicide?
The Psychodynamic View
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Durkheim’s Sociocultural View
The Interpersonal View
The Biological View
Is Suicide Linked to Age?
Children
Adolescents
The Elderly
Treatment and Suicide
What Treatments Are Used After Suicide Attempts?
What Is Suicide Prevention?
Do Suicide Prevention Programs Work?
Psychological and Biological Insights Lag Behind
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
… TRENDING Internet Horrors
INFOCENTRAL The Right to Die by Suicide
CHAPTER 8
Disorders Featuring Somatic Symptoms
Factitious Disorder
Conversion Disorder and Somatic Symptom Disorder
Conversion Disorder
Somatic Symptom Disorder
What Causes Conversion and Somatic Symptom Disorders?
How Are Conversion and Somatic Symptom Disorders Treated?
Illness Anxiety Disorder
Psychophysiological Disorders: Psychological Factors Affecting Other Medical
Conditions
Traditional Psychophysiological Disorders
New Psychophysiological Disorders
Psychological Treatments for Physical Disorders
Relaxation Training
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Biofeedback
Meditation
Hypnosis
Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions
Support Groups and Emotion Expression
Combination Approaches
Expanding the Boundaries of Abnormal
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
PSYCHWATCH Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
MINDTECH Can Social Media Spread “Mass Hysteria”?
INFOCENTRAL Sleep and Sleep Disorders
CHAPTER 9
Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
The Clinical Picture
Medical Problems
Bulimia Nervosa
Binges
Compensatory Behaviors
Bulimia Nervosa Versus Anorexia Nervosa
Binge-Eating Disorder
What Causes Eating Disorders?
Psychodynamic Factors: Ego Deficiencies
Cognitive-Behavioral Factors
Depression
Biological Factors
Societal Pressures
Family Environment
Multicultural Factors: Racial and Ethnic Differences
Multicultural Factors: Gender Differences
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How Are Eating Disorders Treated?
Treatments for Anorexia Nervosa
Treatments for Bulimia Nervosa
Treatments for Binge-Eating Disorder
Prevention of Eating Disorders: Wave of the Future
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
INFOCENTRAL Body Dissatisfaction
MINDTECH Dark Sites of the Internet
… TRENDING Shame on Body Shamers
CHAPTER 10
Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
Depressants
Alcohol
Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs
Opioids
Stimulants
Cocaine
Amphetamines
Stimulant Use Disorder
Hallucinogens, Cannabis, and Combinations of Substances
Hallucinogens
Cannabis
Combinations of Substances
What Causes Substance Use Disorders?
Sociocultural Views
Psychodynamic Views
Cognitive-Behavioral Views
Biological Views
The Developmental Psychopathology View
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How Are Substance Use Disorders Treated?
Psychodynamic Therapies
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies
Biological Treatments
Sociocultural Therapies
Other Addictive Disorders
Gambling Disorder
Internet Gaming Disorder: Awaiting Official Status
New Wrinkles to a Familiar Story
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
PSYCHWATCH College Binge Drinking: An Extracurricular Crisis
… TRENDING The Opioid Crisis
INFOCENTRAL Smoking, Tobacco, and Nicotine
CHAPTER 11
Sexual Disorders and Gender Variations
Sexual Dysfunctions
Disorders of Desire
Disorders of Excitement
Disorders of Orgasm
Disorders of Sexual Pain
Treatments for Sexual Dysfunctions
What Are the General Features of Sex Therapy?
What Techniques Are Used to Treat Particular Dysfunctions?
What Are the Current Trends in Sex Therapy?
Paraphilic Disorders
Fetishistic Disorder
Transvestic Disorder
Exhibitionistic Disorder
Voyeuristic Disorder
Frotteuristic Disorder
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Pedophilic Disorder
Sexual Masochism Disorder
Sexual Sadism Disorder
Gender Variations
Transgender Functioning
Gender Dysphoria
Personal Topics Draw Public Attention
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
INFOCENTRAL Sex Throughout the Life Cycle
PSYCHWATCH Sexism, Viagra, and the Pill
MINDTECH “Sexting”: Healthy or Pathological?
CHAPTER 12
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
The Clinical Picture of Schizophrenia
What Are the Symptoms of Schizophrenia?
What Is the Course of Schizophrenia?
How Do Theorists Explain Schizophrenia?
Biological Views
Psychological Views
Sociocultural Views
Developmental Psychopathology View
How Are Schizophrenia and Other Severe Mental Disorders Treated?
Institutional Care in the Past
Institutional Care Takes a Turn for the Better
Antipsychotic Drugs
Psychotherapy
The Community Approach
An Important Lesson
Key Terms
25
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
INFOCENTRAL Hallucinations
PSYCHWATCH Postpartum Psychosis: A Dangerous Syndrome
PSYCHWATCH Lobotomy: How Could It Happen?
MINDTECH Putting a Face on Auditory Hallucinations
CHAPTER 13
Personality Disorders
“Odd” Personality Disorders
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
“Dramatic” Personality Disorders
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
“Anxious” Personality Disorders
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Dependent Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Multicultural Factors: Research Neglect
Are There Better Ways to Classify Personality Disorders?
The “Big Five” Theory of Personality and Personality Disorders
“Personality Disorder—Trait Specified”: DSM-5’s Proposed Dimensional Approach
Rediscovered, Then Reconsidered
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
… TRENDING Mass Murders: Where Does Such Violence Come From?
MINDTECH Selfies: Narcissistic or Not?
INFOCENTRAL The Dark Triad
26
CHAPTER 14
Disorders Common Among Children and Adolescents
Childhood and Adolescence
Childhood Anxiety Disorders
Separation Anxiety Disorder and Selective Mutism
Treatments for Childhood Anxiety Disorders
Depressive and Bipolar Disorders During Childhood
Major Depressive Disorder
Bipolar Disorder and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder
What Are the Causes of Conduct Disorder?
How Do Clinicians Treat Conduct Disorder?
Elimination Disorders
Enuresis
Encopresis
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Intellectual Disability
Clinicians Discover Childhood and Adolescence
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
INFOCENTRAL Child and Adolescent Bullying
PSYCHWATCH Child Abuse
PSYCHWATCH Reading and ’Riting and ’Rithmetic
CHAPTER 15
Disorders of Aging and Cognition
Old Age and Stress
Depression in Later Life
Anxiety Disorders in Later Life
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Substance Misuse in Later Life
Psychotic Disorders in Later Life
Disorders of Cognition
Delirium
Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurocognitive Disorders
Issues Affecting the Mental Health of the Elderly
Clinicians Discover the Elderly
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
PSYCHWATCH The Oldest Old
INFOCENTRAL The Aging Population
MINDTECH Remember to Tweet; Tweet to Remember
… TRENDING Damaging the Brain: Football and CTE
CHAPTER 16
, Society, and the Mental Health Profession
and Mental Health
How Do Clinicians Influence the Criminal Justice System?
How Do the Legislative and Judicial Systems Influence Mental Health Care?
In What Other Ways Do the Clinical and Legal Fields Interact?
What Ethical Principles Guide Mental Health Professionals?
Mental Health, , and Economics
Bringing Mental Health Services to the Workplace
The Economics of Mental Health
Technology and Mental Health
The Person Within the Profession
Within a Larger System
Key Terms
Quick Quiz
LaunchPad
PSYCHWATCH Famous Insanity Defense Cases
PSYCHWATCH Serial Murderers: Madness or Badness?
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… TRENDING Doctor, Do No Harm
INFOCENTRAL Personal and Professional Issues
Glossary
References
Credits
Name Index
Subject Index
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Preface
Ron Comer
I thought it was cute when my 13-year-old son Jon sometimes sat in on my 400-student
Abnormal lectures at Princeton, interesting when he took his first psychology course
at the University of Rochester, amusing when his undergraduate abnormal psychology course
used my textbook, troubling when he autographed copies of the book for his classmates,
surprising when he decided to major in psychology, and very satisfying when he entered the
clinical psychology graduate program at Temple University. However, what Jon has
accomplished professionally from that point forward has been nothing short of mind-boggling to
me, and I am not easily mind-boggled.
He has become one of today’s most productive and influential researchers, a leader in the
clinical field, a magnificent teacher, and a deeply caring and wise clinician. Little of this has to do
with me and everything to do with his intellectual gifts and remarkable work ethic, and the giants
in the field who have mentored him over the years—particularly Dave Barlow, Phil Kendall,
Dante Cicchetti, Bill Pelham, Anne Marie Albano, and Mark Olfson. Nevertheless, I’ll take it.
At some point during Jon’s flourishing career at Boston University and now Florida
International University, an unstated question began to emerge: Should he join me as co-author
on my abnormal psychology textbooks Fundamentals of Abnormal and Abnormal
? I had never entertained the possibility of having a co-author during my 35 years of
writing these textbooks; and anyway, I believed Jon was too busy making his mark on the field,
receiving multiple career awards from the American Psychological Association and other
organizations, being elected President of the APA’s Society of Clinical , writing over
130 scientific papers, and the like. But, as the saying goes, “If you want to make God laugh, tell
Him your future plans.” Lo and behold, Jon and I are now co-authors of these books.
Ultimately, the decision to ask Jon to join me in this endeavor was a natural one. As textbook
authors grow older, publishers seek out possible co-authors (for reasons that shall go unstated in
order to protect my fragile ego and growing sense of mortality). It was clear to me that the ideal
co-author would have to be a highly accomplished researcher and writer who would complement
my particular areas of expertise and bring special knowledge in such areas as the developmental
psychopathology perspective, technology-driven and novel treatment interventions, cognitive-
behavioral approaches, brain circuitry, and more. And it was obvious that Jon was that person.
Moreover, Jon was receiving offers from various publishing companies to author their abnormal
30
psychology textbooks, and the notion of having a Comer textbook competing with another
Comer textbook was simply too much for me to bear (did I mention my fragile ego?). And, of
course, personally, the possibility of collaborating with someone whom I respect deeply and love
greatly was too alluring to pass up. Thus, with the current editions of Fundamentals of Abnormal
and Abnormal , Jon and I have begun a new journey, from which, we hope
and believe, readers will learn much and profit greatly.
Jon Comer
Roughly two decades ago, I entered the University of Rochester with the intention of studying
music. But I soon realized that, despite my continuing love of music, the study of clinical
psychology fascinated me most. Two pivotal undergraduate experiences brought the clinical field
to life for me and prompted me to realize that work in this area should eventually be at the center
of my professional life.
The first experience was taking a psychology course with (and later working in the laboratory
of) Dante Cicchetti, the contagiously passionate researcher and professor who introduced me to
developmental psychopathology—his “neurons-to-neighborhoods” perspective that focuses on
how dynamic interactions among psychological, biological, and sociocultural factors unfold
across time to produce both normal and abnormal human functioning. I was excited by the
power of this comprehensive perspective to explain individual differences, embrace interacting
causal factors, and meaningfully inform prevention and treatment interventions. To this day, the
developmental psychopathology perspective explicitly guides much of my research and thinking.
The second influential undergraduate experience was the power of a unique textbook. In the
fall of my sophomore year, I enrolled in an abnormal psychology course and found a familiar
name on the syllabus: “Comer”. . . as in “the required text for this course is Ronald Comer’s
Abnormal (Second Edition).” At the time I did not have a particularly deep
understanding of my father’s work. I knew he worked very hard writing this book and that a
great many colleges and universities had adopted it, but I had never sat down to read more than a
few paragraphs here or there. But now, his book, cover-to-cover, was on my list of required
readings.
As I read through the chapters for class, I became captivated by the book’s engaging writing
style, empathic descriptions of people with psychological disorders, blend of clinical research and
practice, and strategic incorporation of current events and popular culture. I was also struck by
how the book translated complex ideas into highly readable and easy to digest material. The book
31
managed to present clinical psychology as a vibrant and evolving science, with many of the
biggest answers still ahead. I was hooked; this was the field for me.
I recognize that it may seem like I was biased to be so favorably disposed toward this
particular textbook, given the family connection. However, I would actually suggest the opposite
—I was in my late teens at the time, and I must confess that I was not exactly looking to give my
father copious credit for much during those years.
Over the past 20 years, from my time as a young undergraduate to my current academic and
professional roles, I have been continually reminded that I am far from alone in my experiences
with this extraordinary text. Countless individuals, from college freshmen to many of the field’s
senior leaders, have approached me to tell me what a special experience they have had with my
father’s textbook—whether as a student, as an instructor, or (like myself) as both.
When the opportunity arose to join Fundamentals of Abnormal and Abnormal
as a co-author, it was a no-brainer for me. It has been a privilege to bring my particular
background and areas of expertise to help expand these already outstanding books. For example,
together my father and I have worked to incorporate the increasingly influential developmental
psychopathology perspective throughout the books, along with a contemporary emphasis on
biopsychosocial accounts of abnormality. As an instructor in psychology, I have always taken
seriously my role as an ambassador for this field, someone who can introduce a captivating field
to students, excite them about it, and provide them with insights that can influence their
continued intellectual and professional development. Co-authoring the new editions of
Fundamentals of Abnormal and Abnormal has provided me with a special
opportunity to expand this ambassadorship and to reach a greater number of students than I
could have previously imagined. I am very appreciative.
On a more personal note, the greatest joy of undertaking this project has been to do so under
the mentorship of my father, Ronald Comer—a peerless educator and writer who has helped
teach and cultivate so many individuals over the years. Working with him has given me a coveted
front row seat to learn from the “master” about how to best communicate the complexities of the
field and how to respectfully portray mental dysfunction and human suffering, all with his
unique blend of empathy, dignity, and humor. He has mentored me on this project—as he has
throughout so many experiences of my life—with great wisdom, common sense, patience,
selflessness, and love. This field has no shortage of individuals who feel fortunate to have been
touched by his inimitable gifts. But no one more so than me.
32
Ron & Jon Comer
Between Fundamentals of Abnormal and Abnormal , the current textbook
represents the nineteenth edition of one or the other of the books. This textbook journey has
been a labor of love, but also one in which each edition is accompanied by an enormous amount
of work and ridiculous pressure, not to mention countless sleepless nights. We mention these
labors not only because we are world-class whiners but also to emphasize that we approach each
edition as a totally new undertaking rather than as a superficial update of past editions. Our goal
is to make each edition fresh by approaching our content coverage and pedagogical offerings as if
we were writing a completely new book. As a result, each edition includes cutting-edge content
reflecting new developments in the field, as well as in the world around us, delivered to readers
via innovative and enlightening …
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