A psychologist mentions that a fear affects a person's life, highlighting which criterion of abnormality?

The concept of maladaptiveness refers to behaviors or fears that hinder an individual's ability to function effectively in daily life. In this scenario, the psychologist noting that a fear significantly affects a person's life indicates that the fear disrupts normal functioning, making it difficult for the individual to meet basic life requirements such as work, relationships, or self-care. Maladaptive behaviors often lead to negative consequences for the person and can be understood as an individual's inability to adapt to certain situations or environments, resulting in significant impairment.

While other criteria for assessing abnormality—such as statistical rarity, societal norms, and subjective distress—are relevant, they do not capture the essence of how a fear impacts a person's life in a functional sense. Statistical rarity focuses on how uncommon a behavior is in the population, societal norms consider cultural standards, and subjective distress pertains to the personal feelings of discomfort or pain. However, maladaptiveness specifically emphasizes the impact on daily functioning, which aligns with the psychologist’s observation regarding the effect of fear on the individual's life.