This handbook has been purposefully created to focus on Australian and New Zealand (NZ) abnormal psychology research, statistics, and applied practice. This handbook has thus been designed with a specific structure for ease of use. Specifically, after general handbook rationale and structure information is offered, some basic information regarding abnormal psychology and applied practice is provided. This presentation is followed by a brief examination of the cultural and demographic compositions of Australia and NZ and related resources. The bulk of this handbook then examines various psychological disorders. Finally, the handbook concludes with an examination of two psychological practice-related items relevant to abnormal psychology: suicide and non-suicidal self-harm and then mandated or involuntary treatment.

As noted previously, the bulk of this handbook focuses on various psychological disorders. The disorders examined are those presented in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), and are in the same order as in the DSM-5. The exceptions to this presentation are those disorders for which there was limited Australian- and NZ-based information to justify inclusion in this handbook. Therefore, this handbook examines 17 specific disorders (or areas of treatment foci) whereas the DSM-5 presents a greater number of diagnostic categories.

For each disorder (or area of treatment focus) examined, a standard organisation has been maintained for presentation. Explicitly, contributing authors have been asked to begin with an introduction to each disorder (or area of treatment focus) including an examination of signs and symptoms, followed by an examination of the presentation of same in Australia and then NZ including incidence and prevalence, and then to present a case example. Cases have been chosen to focus on either an Australian or NZ example, and to comply with ethical standards relating to the presentation of client information for educational purposes (specifically, either a created or composite example is presented). Specific de-identified client material has only been used with the written permission of said client (Australian Psychological Society, 2007). Authors have identified research and practice support information specific to both Australia and NZ. References are provided for readers who wish to explore the topics examined in context in greater detail.

Abnormal psychology is often a core course in both undergraduate and postgraduate psychology programs across North America, Europe, and Australasia. The vast majority of abnormal psychology textbooks come from the United States of America (US). This academic focus on US abnormal psychology is not surprising given the relatively large number of people living in the US, that it is ranked third in terms of country population in the world, and is the most populous country in which English is the primary language spoken (Statistics Times, 2016; United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division, 2015). Additionally, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) originates from the US. The available US resources are, understandably, US-centric and contain mostly US statistics and applied examples. Furthermore, if reference to community resources is made these are likely to be US-based and not accessible, or of low relevance, to Australasian populations.

There are few abnormal psychology resources that present Australian and New Zealand (NZ) materials including statistics, case studies, and community resources. Recent Australian-focused resources include a special issue published by Pelling (2015) in the International Journal of Mental Health. Further, there are both Australian- and NZ-based authors publishing practice- and education-relevant abnormal psychology resources. However, up until now no resource has existed detailing the Australian and NZ experience and response to abnormal psychology matters in a succinct and applied manner. This handbook on abnormal psychology in the Australian and NZ context is designed specifically to make such academic and applied abnormal psychology resources available.

This handbook has been compiled to include material by lead researchers and applied practitioners from Australia and NZ. Consequently, the resulting resource is valuable to both students of abnormal psychology and also applied mental health practitioners across Australia and NZ. We hope you enjoy reading and making use of this handbook which purposefully highlights and showcases our Australasian research and practice relating to abnormal psychology.

In 2007 I guest edited a special issue on Indigenous counselling for the journal Counselling, Psychotherapy and Health published by the Australian Counselling Association. This followed the publication of a scholarly review I conducted on Indigenous mental health and substance abuse in 2006 (Pelling, 2006a, 2007). I am, nonetheless, not an expert on Indigenous Australian psychology and recognise my limitations in this area. If competence in any applied area relates to knowledge, self and other awareness, and skill, then I must admit that I am lacking in competence in these important Australian psychological foci (Pelling, 2006b) and similarly am lacking in terms of bicultural New Zealand (NZ) competence.

However, I have worked with Dwayne Kennedy and Joseph Randolph Bowers to ensure that the current edition of this handbook provides a framework for relating to Australian Indigenous psychology and counselling. Additionally, there are international sources of published information on both Indigenous and bicultural issues relevant to abnormal psychology. Indigenous issues are a focus of the Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG) of the United Nations (UN) and information can be found through the UN main page for those interested in supporting and promoting the mandate of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues within the UN forum (UN, 2016).

Related to Australian psychology, the Australian Psychological Society (APS) has an interest group focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology (2016). This APS interest group makes available resources and publications as well as online training. Similarly, the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA) has published various papers including a discussion paper relating to the determinants of Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing (Kelly et al., 2010). Another author in the area of Indigenous psychology is Victoria Hovane (2015). The AIPA provides leadership on issues related to the social and emotional wellbeing and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and offers cultural competence workshops (AIPA, 2015, 2016).

Bicultural NZ psychological information can be found through the New Zealand Psychological Society (NZPsS). The NZPsS has bicultural articles published by year in the New Zealand Journal of Psychology, thus highlighting the importance of bicultural psychology in NZ.

Defining abnormality

Abnormality can be defined in a number of ways. However, in terms of psychological difficulties the term “abnormality,” or “psychopathology,” generally refers to a problematic pattern of thought, feeling, and/or behaviour that disrupts one's sense of wellness or functioning either socially or occupationally. A mental or psychological disorder involves a recognisable set of symptoms and signs that cause distress to the individual involved and impair their functioning (Burton, Westen, & Kowalski, 2015). The psychopathological signs and symptoms presented by an individual are “recognisable” when compared with various classification systems and thus are used to make a diagnosis.

There are two main classifications systems used to make mental health related diagnoses: the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association (5th ed.; DSM-5; 2013) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 2010 Edition (ICD-10) (World Health Organisation, 2011). An examination of the pros and cons of both classifications is beyond the scope of this handbook. Therefore, the DSM-5 will simply be described in terms of structure and use as this is the classification system that was focused on when structuring this handbook.

DSM-5 overview

The DSM-5 is the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in use and outlines recognisable sets of symptoms and signs that distress individuals and impair their functioning, most often focused on for treatment and support. The DSM-5 itself presents material in sections, including background regarding the development of the DSM-5, with the bulk of material being related to the diagnostic criteria for the various disorders.

The DSM-5 provides applied clinicians with an organising framework as well as a common language regarding signs and symptoms and thus diagnoses that can assist communication and assist and guide research and treatment. The information presented in the DSM-5 includes how various cognitive, emotional, and/or behavioural signs and symptoms cluster together in the diagnoses described. The use of a diagnosis thus creates a shared understanding with other practitioners familiar with the diagnostic classification system used. Therefore, communication between practitioners is made more efficient.