Diagnosis and Classification

Question 1

what does psychopathology look at?

Answer 1

the symptoms and features of mental disorders, explanations which can offer ideas about causes for mental disorders and their treatments

Question 2

what does psychopathology define?

Answer 2

abnormal behaviour which includes what makes a mental disorder

Question 3

what are the four ds?

Answer 3

deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger

Question 4

what is the additional d?

Answer 4

duration

Question 5

what is deviance?

Answer 5

behaviour and emotions that aren’t considered to be the norm in society, Not only do the behaviours and emotions have to deviate from society, they must also be seen as unacceptable

Question 6

what is distress?

Answer 6

when someone with a disorder experiences negative emotions: its thought that abnormalities in a mental health capacity are accompanied by feelings of distress

Question 7

what is dysfunction?

Answer 7

a person’s behaviour is not successful in relation to carrying out everyday tasks and living their life in general. However, this is deliberate and is not a sign of a mental disorder on its own

Question 8

what is danger?

Answer 8

danger to others or themselves - this includes suicidal thoughts

Question 9

why are the four ds considered useful?

Answer 9

in summarising how mental health professionals may define abnormality but there’s no clear scale of normal and abnormal, only issues of judgement

Question 10

why is deviance difficult to diagnose?

Answer 10

different disorders show the same level of deviance - distress and dysfunction must also be present

Question 11

why is dysfunction difficult to diagnose?

Answer 11

many life events and experiences may be classed as dysfunctional, but Davis (2009) points out that it must affect everyday life in more than one area

Question 12

why is distress difficult to diagnose?

Answer 12

hard to measure as a person may find it hard to function but doesn’t experience feelings of distress or feel extremely distressed and still be able to function

Question 13

what is duration?

Answer 13

the length of time the individual has felt their symptoms

Question 14

what are the strengths of the four D’s of diagnosis?

Answer 14

can be used with the DSM-IV-TR which have practical applications for professionals in considering symptoms and diagnosing individuals

support the validity of the DSM as a tool

Question 15

what are he weaknesses of the four D’s of diagnosis?

Answer 15

likely to be subjectivity in its application

raises a question of objectivity which then raises questions about reliability

by adding a ‘fifth’ D - shows that the four Ds are insufficient by themselves as a tool

Question 16

why are reliability and validity important when diagnosing mental disorders?

Answer 16

if there are inconsistencies in diagnoses, it is harder for the patient as if they’re not being treated for the right disorder, they won’t improve

Question 17

what evidence is needed when thinking about the classification system?

Answer 17

Davis (2009); Rosenhan (1973); Goldstein (1988)`

Question 18

why is Davis (2009) important when thinking about the classification system?

Answer 18

Davis (2009) suggests that using the 4 Ds can help practitioners to see when a condition might need a DSM diagnosis, which may lead to an effective treatment.

Davis (2009) also found evidence to support the validity of DSM as a diagnostic tool because various diagnoses focus on specific Ds.

Davis (2009) has suggested that without including duration, the four Ds are insufficient as a tool for diagnosis.

Question 19

why is Rosenhan (1973) important when thinking about the classification system?

Answer 19

Rosenhan’s (1973) study found that clinicians using DSM were unable to distinguish well, ‘normal’ participants from those with real psychiatric symptoms. This challenged the validity of DSM as a diagnostic tool. This led to important revisions in DSM, leading to a number of updated editions in the light of new evidence

Question 20

why is Goldstein (1988) important when thinking about the classification system?

Answer 20

Goldstein(1988) tested the reliability and validity of diagnosis between the DSM-II and DSM-III. She used the single blind technique, where clinicians carry out the rediagnosis separately, without knowing the previous diagnosis, so they were not affected by bias/expectations. She found that there was evidence of reliability within the DSM-III, i.e. separate clinicians agreed on diagnosis. (They were consistent).

Question 21

what research methods were used in the classification system?

Answer 21

Validity (Construct, Concurrent, Predictive, Convergent)
Reliability
Cross-cultural research
Interviews
Clinical Interviews
Single-blind technique