DSM 1
DSM 1
ASSESSMENT
LAWRENCE D. BALANA
DIAGNOSIS
1. the process of identifying and determining the nature of a disease or
disorder by its signs and symptoms, through the use of assessment
techniques (e.g., tests and examinations) and other available evidence.
2. the classification of individuals on the basis of a disease, disorder,
abnormality, or set of characteristics. Psychological diagnoses have been
codified for professional use, notably in the DSM–IV–TR and DSM–5.
3. the decision or statement itself that results from this process or
classification as in “She was given a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.”
Advantages of Diagnosis
100: No symptoms
90: Minimal symptoms with good functioning
80: Transient symptoms that are expected reactions to psychosocial stressors
70: Mild symptoms or some difficulty in social occupational or school functioning
60: Moderate symptoms or moderate difficulty in social, occupation or school functioning
50: Serious symptoms or any serious impairment in social occupational or school functioning
40: Some impairment in reality testing or communication or major impairment in several areas
such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood
30: Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations or serious impairment in
communication or judgment or inability to function in almost all areas
20: Some danger of hurting self or others or occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal
hygiene or gross impairment in communication
10: Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others or persistent inability to maintain
minimal personal hygiene or serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death
Ethnic & Cultural Considerations
- Mental illness as universal
- Culture can influence:
o Risk factors
o Types of symptoms experienced
o Willingness to seek help
o Availability of treatments
- DSM-IV-TR includes:
o Enhanced cultural sensitivity
o Appendix of 25 culture-bound syndromes
• Koru (South and East Asia)
• Dhat (India)
• Hikikomori (Japan, South Korea)
• Some researchers endorse looking for commonalities rather than differences across
cultures
Categorical vs. Dimensional Systems
Categorical
• Presence/ absence of a disorder
• Either you are anxious or you are not anxious.
Dimensional
• Rank on a continuous quantitative dimension
o Degree to which a symptom is present
o How anxious are you on a scale of 1 to 10?
o Dimensional systems may better capture an individual’s functioning