Classification and Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

Question 1

What are the 2 classification tools used?

Answer 1

Health professionals use 2 different classification tools to diagnose mental illnesses like schizophrenia, each of these provides a framework for the classification of schizophrenia as a distinct mental illness.
1. ICD= International classification of diseases (WHO).
2. DSM= the diagnostical and statistical manual of mental disorders (USA).

• The criteria for diagnoses are regularly updated with advances in knowledge and understanding. New editions of the manuals are published so that practitioners are using the most up-to-date information.

Question 2

Differences in the timing of the ICD and DSM

Answer 2

• The ICD-10 requires symptoms to be present for ‘most of the time’ for at least a month.
• The DSM V requires ‘continuous signs’ of the disturbance to persist for at least 6 months.

Question 3

Different focus on symptoms (DSM vs ICD)

Answer 3

• The ICD-10 includes a broad range of symptoms for diagnosis with a focus on negative symptoms.
• The DSM V requires delusions, hallucination or disorganised speech to be displayed for a diagnosis.

Question 4

Different focus on dysfunction (DSM vs ICD)

Answer 4

• The DSM V criteria puts more emphasis on social or occupational dysfunction that the ICD-10.

Question 5

What do the most recent versions of the DSM and ICD do?

Answer 5

• The most recent editions of the DSM (V) and ICD (11) have seen changes that reduce the differences between the two, including the removal of subtypes of schizophrenia from the ICD.