Explanatory Perspective
- genesis of mental illnesses
- employs theoretical model
Phenomenological Perspective
- nosological and taxonomic model in identifying psychiatric diseases (Kahlbaum, 1863)
- pathological distortion of psychic functions seen and described
- self observation
- observation made by others
- descriptive discipline
- not concerned with explantions
- goals: delineate, define, and categorize symptoms & behavior.
Objectives of Classifying Mental Disorders
- distinguish diagnosis from one another
- offer most effective treatment
- common language among health care prof
- explore causes of mental disorders that are still unknown
Requirements for Diagnosis of Mental Disorder (Bourgeois, 2000)
1) Minimum number of symptoms
2) Minimum duration of symptoms
3) Clinical significance (cause impairment and distress
Levels of Disorders
1) Subthreshold - 1 to 2 reqs not met
2) Subsyndromal - number or duration of symptoms lacking
3) Subclinical - do not cause distress or impairment
Important Classifications of Psych Disorders
1) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
- published by American Psychiatric Association
- officially used in USA
a. Evolution
- 1840 census, frequency of idiocy/insanity
- 1880 census , 7 mental illnesses added (mania, melancholia, monomania, paresis, dementia, dipsomanina, epilepsy
- 1917, uniform statistics accross mental hosp (Bureau of Cencus)
- 1952, DSM I and II
- 1980, DSM III
- 1987, DSM III-R
- 1994, DSM IV
- 2013, DSM-V
b. The DSM Process
- based on concensus opinion and reviews of lit not on systematic empirical studies
c. Organizing Principle of DSM
- fundamental element is the syndrome (pattern of symptoms, appear together/temporarily/in many individuals)
- symptoms may reflect a common etiology, course, treatment response
d. Basic Features of DSM
- Descriprive approach (no theory about causes)
- Diagnostic Criteria (list of features)
- Systematic descritpion (age, culture, gender, prevalence, incidence, risk, complications, predisposing factors, familial patterns, differential diagnosis
- Describe relevant laboratory findings
- Does not describe treatment
- Provides rule if full criteria is not met (atypical, residual, not otherwise specified)
2) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD)
- 10th edition
- published by WHO
