The Diagnostic And Statistical Manuals

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

The first major controversy concerning classifications of mental disorders is the debate over dimensions vs. categories. According to the APA (2000), DSM–IV is a categorical classification that divides mental disorders into types based on criterion sets with defining features. Categories have been utilized in the past DSMs, however there has been much debate on changing to the dimensional model. The debate stems from the notion that in order for a categorical diagnosis to relate specifically to a disorder, the pathology would have to have been largely resilient to the influence of many other genetic and environmental influences (Widiger & Sankis, 2000). On the contrast, utilizing the dimensional model for a diagnosis would utilize a wide variety of neurochemical, interpersonal, cognitive, and other mediating and moderating variables that help to develop, shape, and form a particular individual’s psychopathology profile (Andreasen, 1997).

According the fourth edition diagnostic manual of mental disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000), the category psychotic disorders (Psychosis) include Schizophrenia, paranoid (Delusional), disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, residual type. Other clinical types include Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Affective Disorder/Manic depression, mania, Psychotic depression, delusional (paranoid) disorders. These are mental disorders in which the thoughts, affective response or ability to recognize reality, and ability to communicate and relate to others are sufficiently impaired to interfere grossly with the capacity to deal with reality; the classical and general characteristics of psychosis are impaired reality testing,

The categorisation of mental illness continues today with 2 main publications, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) created by the World Health Organisation and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by American Psychiatric Association. This form of categorisation facilities the process of medical treatment of the patient, by standardising the referral process between medical practioners and the diagnostic labels are primarily used as a, “convenient shorthand” among professionals and not for lay use”.

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.

As the APA has moved from the Fourth Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) to a reviewed and improved Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia were modified. The five subtypes (paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, residual) that previous version of DSM employed were excluded for its poor reliability and inability to predict the development and outcome of the disorder. DSM-5 no longer uses the subtypes of schizophrenia but rather focuses on clinical symptoms in the hope that it will help to get better understanding of the etiology of the disorder. It is now required that at least

Furthermore, Gonvalves, Dantas, and Banzato research that DSM-5 derived harsh criticism and considered secretive by serval authors (p.1). Additionally, they also established authors in the philosophy of psychiatry who underline the importance of values in psychiatric diagnosis, research, treatments, and classification within the manual (p. 2). Actually, Goncalves and colleagues (2016) detected a proposal which was termed Psychosis Risk Syndrome (PRS). Before the DSM-5 was prepared, the Psychotic Disorders Work Group created the PRS proposal as a placeholder for the high-risk disorders (Goncalves, Dantas, & Banzato, 2016, p.2). Yet, the PRS was criticized as premature and confusing

Within the realms of psychology, classification systems are imperative and allow for appropriate organization and proper descriptions of a patient’s psychological diagnosis. (Hunsley, J. & Lee, M. Catherine, 2010). Classification is a central element of all branches of science and social science, and is how clinicians perform their job to diagnose patients. The two, main types of classification systems are the categorical approach and the dimensional approach. In a broad view, the categorical approach is an one in which a person or object is determined to either be a member of a specific category or not, and the dimensional approach is based on the assumption that the object or person being classified differs in the extent to which they possess certain characteristics and properties (Hunsley & Lee, 2010). The controversy over dimensional versus categorical approaches to diagnosis as manifested in the recent development and publication of the DSM-V is a debate that is one to take note of. Numerous limitations and benefits to both the categorical and dimensional approaches exist, and are widely discussed by researchers when speaking of the production of the DSM-V in regards to personality disorders (PDs). This paper will mainly focus on the diagnosing of one with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and how the changes from the categorical approach to dimensional approach in the recent

The most well-known and widely used diagnostic classification system is the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). In the early 1900, steps were taken to follow a system similar to the DSM that is currently used today. The DSM-I was first published in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association, with the DSM-II being released in 1968 as an amendment of the original (Pomerantz, 2014). While the earlier editions of the DSM were similar to each other, they were very different from the other editions later released (Lilienfeld & Landfield, 2008). There were three very broad categories in the earlier editions: neuroses - which would include mood disorders such as major depression and anxiety disorders; psychoses - which would include disorders like schizophrenia; and character disorders - which are known today as personality disorders (Blashfield, Flanagan, & Raley, 2010).

Mental health has been studied for centuries now. There have been fast differences major evolutional discoveries and changes since mental health has been researched and studied. Many theorists have been pioneers in their respective studies and laid the blueprint for what it is today. One of the interesting diagnosis’s during the early development is how Schizophrenia is a diagnosis that has been misunderstood over the centuries. The criteria that would determine one such a label, has shifted drastically. Although it has shifted and the information we have today is much more polished due to the amount of research and studies that have taken place, it’s important to learn and know the history behind how schizophrenia came to be and how it was coined to become such a noticeable and intricate part of diagnosis’s in psychology. Leading the way in the foundation and discovery of

Schizophrenia is a disorder of varying symptoms, in fact until the current edition of the DSM-V this disorder was broken into subtypes such as catatonic, disorganized, paranoid, undifferentiated, and residual. There many facets of schizophrenia such as auditory hallucinations, delusions, social isolation, as well as intense suspicion or agitation, each of which contributed to the previous subtypes of schizophrenia. Today, individuals with schizophrenia are assessed severity of symptoms rather than by classification.

Schizophrenia is a disorder of varying symptoms, in fact until the current edition of the DSM-V this disorder was broken into subtypes such as catatonic, disorganized, paranoid, undifferentiated, and residual. There many facets of schizophrenia such as auditory hallucinations, delusions, social isolation, as well as intense suspicion or agitation, each of which contributed to the previous subtypes of schizophrenia. Today, individuals with schizophrenia are assessed severity of symptoms rather than by classification.

An analysis of the validity, reliability, practicalities and ethical issues will be covered when referring to the diagnostic classification systems and lastly the demographics and statistics surrounding schizophrenia with reference to age, gender and ethnicity will be thoroughly examined

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current understanding of the complexity of schizophrenia. For over 100 years, many researchers have contributed to the understanding of what is possibly causing schizophrenia, how the disorder presents itself and progresses, as well as what the best methods of diagnosing and treating individuals are. In the past, individuals’ and families’ physicians were less involved in the diagnosis of the mental disorder due to the common understanding that it is an illness that is characterized by psychosis only. When analyzing the theories and research by Kraepelin, Bleuler, Wundt, as well as modern scientists, one can clearly distinguish the advancements which have

Categorical appraoch of mental disorder refers to describing mental disorders in terms of categories, based on criterias and features of typical psychological disorders. Dimensional approach is, instead of asisigning each disorders into categories, emphasise more on quantifing symtomes and features on a scale. In other words, categorial approach is more of classification, whereas dimentional approach tells a degree of certain syptoms of mental disorders.