Discuss Reliability and Validity of Diagnosis

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).

Nonetheless, there are limitations associated with the medical model and the DSM. These limitations include focusing on the symptoms rather than focusing on other factors in the

Individuals with a mental health illness tend to experience discrimination due to misinformation, assumptions and stereotyping. Many people in our society are not educated on the subject of mental illnesses and often have misconceptions about the conditions and what affects these pre conceived ideas can have on the individual suffering from the

Identify the presenting diagnoses utilizing diagnostic categorization or classification as described by the International Classification of Diseases or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Diagnoses should indicate primary, secondary, etc., and significant findings, particularly in respect to presenting problems. Does the diagnosed condition(s) currently rise to the level of a disability?

There are also issues relating to reliability which may affect the diagnosis. One type is Test-retest reliability, which occurs when a practitioner makes the same consistent diagnosis on separate occasions from the same information. In terms of depression this can be applied if the same Doctor or Psychiatrist gives a patient a diagnosis of depression on two separate occasions. The other is Inter-rater reliability occurs when several practitioners make identical, independent diagnoses of the same patient. This can be applied to depression by confirming that the diagnosis of depression is accurate in a given situation.

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.

Misdiagnoses “We are, in the end, a sum of our parts, and when the body fails, all the virtues we hold dear go with it,” (Calahan, 43) says Susannah Cahalan, the author of “Brain on Fire.” It was after she spent a month of madness in the hospital that Susannah had the ability to state this first hand from her own experiences, for she was a young woman with a severe mental illness who suffered from countless detrimental misdiagnoses. Susannah’s case is just one fatal account of a misdiagnosis. Unfortunately, many patients around the world die everyday due to poor diagnoses. For these reasons, doctors should spend time properly diagnosing patients who have an illness because if patients are not properly diagnosed, it can cause destruction of

With these similarities there is chance that many patients have been misdiagnosed especially in children they cause years of improper treatment with destructive results. For example the child can be given the wrong medication for a disorder that is not associated with what is really going on with the child. In the article by Stanford University they give an example that “treating a child who actually has pediatric bipolar disorder with Ritalin for a supposed case of ADHD. Giving such a child a stimulant can lead to mood destabilization.” (Day, 2005).

“Diagnosis is based on symptoms and the results of a biopsy of tissue from the small intestine or other

Implementing a strategy of positive psychology can be much more complicated after diagnosing a patient, due to often newfound pessimism. Certain diagnoses also contradict principles in specific branches of psychology. For instance, schizotypal personality disorder, is defined by the DSM-V as, “A pattern of acute discomfort in close relationships, cognitive or perceptual distortions, and eccentricities of behavior”. Under the concept of humanistic psychology & phenomenology, how do we determine who has a distorted perception when perception is our own unique experiences? Associating behavior to the presence of a labelled mental disorder may allow for the opportunity for those behaviors to intensify or be taken more dramatically (like the aforementioned hysteria). When society rejects someone due to stigma this can formulate unintended consequences. Mental illness should be addressed, but if we want to effectively help alleviate disorders, society will need to be more open and welcoming. No longer should we allow distinctions to severely distance one person from

Some issues of reliability and validity of the systems is that they only hold the knowledge that we hold based on psychological description of disorders. Most psychiatric disorders are based on recognised clusters of symptoms and so to classify behaviour without any biological evidence may not be an objective process and may make both systems unreliable. They are valid in the sense that they hold the information that is widespread knowledge about psychological disorders and are useful in recognising conditions. However, many conditions such as schizophrenia have speculation on the causation of symptoms and so the systems only have as much knowledge as we do and do not not include guidance or ability to show markers of condition through biological tests.

The gap between scientist and practitioner seems to be increasing due to the increase in unsubstantiated treatment techniques. This increase contributes to be one of the primary concerns for clinical psychology because these unsubstantiated treatment techniques are being implemented in practices when they lack scientific research. In the majority of these cases, these questionable treatments or practices lack critical evaluation. Additionally, self-help programs that produce books, manuals, and audiotapes (or even talk show hosts on television) promise solutions or offer advice to complex life problems without proper scientific validation. The issues and concerns with these emerging questionable practices branches into the psychological assessment and diagnosis of a patient as well. While statistical formulas are superior to clinical judgment, most practitioners continue to use their sole judgment and interpretations based on assessment instruments that are questionable from a scientific perspective. While some of these questionable practices may actually be effective, the claimant is responsible for the burden of proof. However; in other cases, these questionable cases can be ineffective and produce harm to clinical patients.

Although it is every individual’s right to fully understand what their diagnosis is, explaining their diagnosis the right way is crucial. “A diagnosis doesn’t just exist in the clinical setting; our clients live with it. I’m not talking about the symptoms or history that lead to the diagnosis; I’m talking about the label. The diagnosis doesn’t just live in her file, all nice and neat and detached from real life. The diagnosis lives in her experience of herself” (Friedman,

The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of the importance of assessment and diagnosis in the counseling process. In the first two sections, the roles of assessment and diagnosis as they relate to case conceptualization and treatment planning will be explored. The potential implications of misdiagnosis will be the focus of the final section.

Diagnosis: Knowing the futility of treating the symptoms, a clinician begins with a list of observable symptoms and uses cause and effect to seek out the underlying common cause for all of them, the “disease” or core problem.