Diagnostic And Diagnostic Classification System Essay

Through the application of standard diagnostic criteria and the use of diagnostic reasoning we aim to develop a better understanding of the strengths and limitations of classification systems and the methods used to define psychopathology. The information processing system of diagnostic reasoning applied to clinical diagnoses, is important for the detailed analyses of clinically gained information (Coderre Mandin, Harasym & Fick, 2003). Nurcombe and Fizthenry-Coor (1987), note researchers observe the cognitive problem and convert it into mental enquiries, which aim to elicit more diagnostic information. Clinicians using the diagnostic process make a number of diagnostic inferences in regards to the noted maladaptive behaviour (Kassirer, 1989). Deductive reasoning in the form of hypothetico-deductive reasoning is used to examine and support or reject hypothesised diagnoses (Coderre et al., 2003). This process is use to generate several hypotheses based on knowledge held by the examiner who then gathers data to support or reject these hypotheses until a prognosis can be decided upon (Nurcombe & Fitzhenry-Coor, 1987).

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is currently the most frequently used way of standardizing and defining psychological disorders. However, the classification systems such as DSM have advantages and disadvantages. The major weakness of DSM is that it judges symptoms superficially and ignores other possible important factors. The major strength of DSM is that it enables categorization of psychological disorders.

The strengths when working with clients on a medical model perspective is that the use of the DSM provides a common language to use in the medical community. The DSM provides reliability and structural guideline to each mental disorder. The structural guidelines in the DSM provide an organized list of criteria and specifiers to help determine the severity of the mental disorder. When diagnosing a client, there are many similar signs and symptoms to each mental disorder; thus, the DSM provides the clinician information about differential diagnosis, prevalence, possible co-morbidity, age of onset, and progressive development of symptoms. Hence, focusing on the medical model and using the DSM can be beneficial to both the client and the clinician providing treatment.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has a number of features. First of all, every disorder is identified using a name and a numerical code. In addition, the manual provides the criteria for diagnosing each disorder as well as establishes subtypes of a disorder and examples that would illustrate the disorder. The manual goes further by addressing the typical age of onset, culturally related information, gender-related information, prevalence of a disorder, typical clinical course of a disorder, typical predisposing factors of a disorder and genetic family patterns of a disease (Summers, 2009). The DSM-IV is a tool that is used by mental health practitioners and social service workers. As has been demonstrated

Explain how individuals experience discrimination due to misinformation, assumptions and stereotypes about mental ill health.

The DSM is used as a standard of reference for psychological diagnosis. The DSM was originally published in 1952 containing only 106 diagnoses; today the revised DSM-IV-TR contains 365 diagnoses. Throughout the history of the DSM, individuals in the mental health profession have relied on it for clarification of disorders, facilitating research, improving communication with other professionals and improving the collection of clinical information. With a new DSM-V underway, there has been a lot of issues surrounding the contents and classifications of the new DSM. There are

Since the discrete nature of the DSM relies on a yes-no approach to classification, patient is either afflicted with a certain mental illness, or not. On the discussion of the not criminally responsible individual, this means that if an individual answers incorrectly or does not provide the right information, they may not be properly characterized under a certain disorder. This may not necessarily mean that the individual does not possess this certain disorder. Furthermore, disorders that have not yet been discovered by psychiatrist will not be found within the DSM manual. The obvious consequence for this would mean that individuals who have special types of disorders might not be diagnosed at all and if they are, they may be diagnosed under incorrect categories due to a lack of understanding. A second criticism of the DSM-IV is that the cut-off points for each disorder are often chosen with little empirical justification. Merely relying on the number of symptoms and the duration of which they appear could mean that those who do not meet the cut-off points for a given category are simply funnelled into the criminal justice system without receiving the quality of mental health attention that they may require. In certain cases, having only two symptoms instead of the required three to possess a certain mental disorder would mean that you do not have that disorder at all. This sort of information should be considered as potentially being sufficient to leave someone in a position where they do not appreciate the nature and quality of their actions. Even if these factors are insufficient to warrant an acquittal based on an entry of NCRMD, it should at the very least be used as a mitigating

The DSM is a classified system used by psychiatrist and other clinical professions in order to diagnose clients and patients who show signs of some type of disorder. The two advantages of using this model or classification system ranges from the validity of an assessment used by clinicians and other health care professionals. Build around the concepts and purposes for the DSM model is that it supports a number of standard assessments of diagnosing different treatment providers. Furthermore, (Comer, J. 2016) suggest that the DSM-5 requires clinicians to provide both categorical and dimensional information which is part of being consistent in diagnosing. From a categorical perspective this refers to the name of a particular category of a disorder which is indicated on behalf of the client’s symptoms. From the dimensional perspective it is a rating of how the client symptoms and the severity of the dysfunction through various dimensions.

Being able to form a diagnosis properly for a client is a process that is wide-ranging and broad. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) supports recommendations and standards for identifying a diagnosis for a client. The procedure of diagnosing is more than skimming for symptoms in the DSM; one must assess, interview and identify issues, as well as refer to the DSM for a diagnosis.

The Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental Disorders also known as the DSM is used was published by the American Psychiatric Association as a way to set standard criteria for diagnosis of the different mental health conditions. Social workers, mental health practitioner and even researchers in order to, use this book to help them diagnose client. The book is intended to be used to make an initial assessment of symptoms that a patient might be facing and after the assessment is done then the clinicians can go about finding interventions to help the client overcome their disorder.

The diagnostic process for personality disorders currently covers a broad scope of various tests and symptoms, causing a source of frustration for psychiatrists (Aldhous). The symptoms and side effects of several personality disorders can tend to blur together, making diagnosis challenging (Aldhous). Most psychiatric patients are diagnosed with several personality disorders at once, with twenty percent of people with personality disorders simply diagnosed with a “personality disorder not otherwise specified” (Aldhous). Using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, commonly referred to as the DSM, psychiatrists attempt with great difficulty to categorize their patients into a specific disorder, only to diagnose

From schizophrenia to bipolar disorder to severe depression there is no question that these are serious mental illnesses that are debilitating and require constant medical care and according to the American Psychiatric Association(APA) hording and internet disorders are just a couple of new diagnosis that they have added to the manual of mental disorder or DSM. But is this addition of new mental disorders really beneficial for the patients or is this a way for doctors and pharmaceutical companies to cash in? , this paper proposes both drawbacks and benefits to the diagnosis of mental disorders as well as investigation of some specific examples of diagnosed disorders. However, the paper’s main direction is to focus on the drawbacks which

DSM-IV TR, which stands for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition), Text Revision was published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2000 and serves as a guide book for many health professionals to diagnose a patient with a mental disorder. It also helps health professionals to determine what types of treatment could be carried out to help the patient. The latest DSM is widely used, especially in the USA and many European countries.1However, it may not be completely followed by health professionals as they know that there are some weaknesses of the latest version of DSM as well. This essay will discuss the strengths and

Psychopathology is a term, which refers to either the study of mental illness, mental distress or the manifestation of behaviors and experiences, which may be indicators to mental illness, or psychological impairment (Psychopathology, n.d.) Within clinical counseling, the use tends to be in the treatment of mental disorders, the origins or the development of mental disorder. Technologies are being used, as well as have been, developed that require an accurate model, which is always being advanced within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, or the DSM. (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). For example, recent technology includes molecular genetics and mature statistical models. Which will in term assist in attempts to better understand where psychological disorders originate form. Currently, most psychopathology research follows the guidelines based in the fourth edition of the DSM, which assumes that mental disorders

Chapter 3 During the Middle Ages some “authorities” classified abnormal behaviors into two groups, those that resulted from demonic possession and those due to natural causes. The 19th-century German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin was the first modern theorist to develop a comprehensive model of classification based on the distinctive features, or symptoms, associated with abnormal behavior patterns (see Chapter 1). The most commonly used classification system today is largely an outgrowth and extension of Kraepelin’s work: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association. Why is it important to classify abnormal behavior? For one thing, classification is the core of science. Without labeling and organizing patterns of abnormal behavior, researchers could not communicate their findings to one another, and progress toward understanding these disorders would come to a halt. Moreover, important decisions are made on the basis of classification. Certain psychological disorders respond better to one therapy than another or to one drug than another.