Classification

Question 1

What does ICD stand for?

Answer 1

International classification of diseases (comes from the word health organisation and is used in the uk)

Question 2

What does DSM stand for?

Answer 2

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (used in the usa)

Question 3

What does reliability refer to?

Answer 3

consistency (If a diagnosis is repeated by examiner you should find the same results)

Question 4

What does validity refer to?

Answer 4

accuracy (if a diagnosis of schizophrenia, for example, is given, we would expect that it is accurate)

Question 5

What is the problem with inter classification of schizophrenia?

Answer 5

The two diagnostic systems could mean that you have schizophrenia in one country but not another.

Question 6

what is it called when two different doctors study the same patient using the same diagnostic system but come to different conclusions?

Answer 6

low inter-rater reliability (this has been an issue for schizophrenia but has improved over the revised modern edition)

Question 7

why is diagnosis of schizophrenia (and most other mental disorders) hard?

Answer 7

because there is a lack of objective testing and doctors have to rely on accurate self reports.

Question 8

what does Co-morbidity mean?

Answer 8

patients who suffer from two or more mental disorders at a time (this makes diagnosis for mental disorders more difficult and could mean the patient is given the wrong treatment)