In chapter 12 you see that abnormality is difficult to define, and it is best to consider behavior as on a continuum from normal to abnormal. The contemporary perspectives that attempt to explain abnormal behavior are the medical perspective, the psychoanalytical perspective, the behavioral perspective, the cognitive perspective, the humanistic perspective, and the sociocultural perspective. The system used by most professionals to classify mental disorders is the DSM IV. The major disorders discussed are the anxiety disorders, the somatoform disorders, and the conversion disorders. Lastly, mood disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders are presented and discussed.