Research Paper Ideas for Abnormal Psychology

Depression is a major mental illness classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). One possible research paper topic within this disorder could focus on how depression manifests itself through the different life stages, including in infancy, childhood, middle adulthood and in the elderly. Another possible research topic is the effectiveness of traditional psycho-pharmaceuticals versus the effectiveness of alternative therapies like meditation in treating depression.

Personality Disorders

Personality disorders include paranoid, obsessive-compulsive as well as narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders. One possible research topic for a paper focusing on personality disorders could involve comparing one disorder to another or the role of defense mechanisms in personality disorders. You could also examine how personality disorders affect social behaviors or trace the development of a disorder from childhood into adulthood.

Behavioral Neuroscience

Research paper topics involving behavioral neuroscience involve looking at how the brain--including brain chemicals like serotonin and norepinephrine as well as hormones like cortisol--affect abnormal behavior. For example, an idea for a specific paper topic in this area is researching how a pregnant woman's cortisol levels affects her offspring's chance for developing depressive disorders. Other topics concerning behavioral neuroscience and abnormal psychology involve picking a specific disorder and researching how the lobes of the brain--such as the frontal or parietal lobes--are affected in certain life situations like everyday functioning.

Eating Disorders

Researching eating disorders make for good abnormal psychology paper topics as there are many social, emotional, biological as well as psychological factors that affect a person's outcome with these disorders. Basic research paper topics could include reviewing the characteristics and abnormal thought processes that define and go along with each eating disorder. In addition, effective treatment programs can be researched and written about to determine the best options for treating eating disorders.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an abnormal psychology disorder which develops after an event triggers serious psychological trauma. The disorder is characterized by sleeping problems, frequent flashbacks or nightmares of the event, and other emotional and behavioral symptoms. Research paper topics could include examining the factors that increase or decrease a person's chance for developing PTSD after a traumatic event. Also, successful treatment options for those who develop the disorder can be researched and written. Choosing a single population--such as soldiers coming back from war or battered women--and examining the specific PTSD outcomes and factors that affect these groups might make for a more in-depth, organized research paper on this topic.