Lecture 1 and Readings

Question 1

How common on mental health problems?

Answer 1

1 in 5 Canadians

Question 2

Gender differences for mood and anxiety disorders?

Answer 2

More women than men; but men have more substance abuse problems

Question 3

Onset of mental health problems?

Answer 3

~70% have onset in childhood or adolescence

Question 4

What are psychotropic drugs? Describe their use

Answer 4

• Antidepressant, mood stabilizer, antipsychotic, SHA (sedative hypnotic drugs)
• Women use more than men (9.5% vs. 5%)
• Use increases with age
• Elderly highest consumers of SHA
• 20-30% of people w/mood disorder or depressive episode or anxiety use psychotropic meds
• Antidepressants most common for mood/anxiety

Question 5

Reading: Kessler (about prevalence)

Main ideas

Answer 5

Prevalence: 
Mood disorders: ~20%
Anxiety disorders: ~30% 
Age of onset: 
- young for many disorders, but specifically 
Mood: 30years 
Anxiety: 11 years

Question 6

Mortality in mental disorder

Answer 6

14.3% of deaths worldwide attributable to mental health

Question 7

Difficulties in diagnosing

Answer 7

• no definitive lab test

- up to discretion and skill of the clinician

Question 8

Why do we diagnose/label?

Answer 8

• Communication: gives framework for study and therefore treatment
• link to other diagnoses
• guide to further testing
• provide grouping variable for research

Question 9

What are the two main classification systems?

What are their differences?

Answer 9

• DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual)
• ICD (World Health Organization’s International Classification of Disease)

DSM is only for mental health, ICD has ALL disease, but a section for mental health.
DSM used more in America, ICD more European.

Question 10

DSM

Answer 10

Every edition gets bigger

Question 11

Even though DSM-5 has been available since 2013, why do so many current papers use DSM-IV-TR?

Answer 11

When they began research the DSM-IV-TR was the most current.
the DSM-5 only became available in 2013, and questionnaires since 2015.

Question 12

Describe the Axis in DSM-IV-TR

Answer 12

Axis I: Clinical Disorders (other conditions that may be the focus of clinical attention)
Axis II: Personality Disorders
Axis III: General Medical Conditions
Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems (life issues that effect others)
Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning

Question 13

Differences b/w DSM-5 and DSM-IV

Answer 13

• elimination of axis
• some disorders have levels
• some name changes and category changes

Question 14

Criticism of DSM-5

Answer 14

• too inclusive (everything can be diagnosed)
• not science based
• too categorical

Question 15

Pros of the DSM-5

Answer 15

• less stigmatizing methodology
• simplified
• more recent research