Medical Approach Physicians began using medical models to review the physical causes of these disorders. Etiology: Cause and development of the disorder. Diagnosis: Identifying (symptoms) and distinguishing one disease from another. Treatment: Treating a disorder in a psychiatric hospital. Prognosis: Forecast about the disorder.

Classifying Psychological Disorders The American Psychiatric Association rendered a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to describe psychological disorders. The most recent edition, DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision, 2000), describes 400 psychological disorders compared to 60 in the 1950s. OBJECTIVE 3| Describe the goals and content of the DSM-IV.

The DSM spells out the specific diagnostic criteria An example of this can be seen in the diagnosis of a major depressive episode. A person must exhibit at least five or more of the listed nine characteristics and the symptoms must be evident for at least the last two weeks for that person to be diagnosed with this disorder. When diagnosing a client the American Psychological Association recommends that the clinician use a multiaxial Assessment System.

Multiaxial Classification Axis I Is a Clinical Syndrome (cognitive, anxiety, mood disorders [16 syndromes]) present? Is a Personality Disorder or Mental Retardation present? Is a General Medical Condition (diabetes, hypertension or arthritis etc) also present? Axis II Are Psychosocial or Environmental Problems (school or housing issues) also present? Axis III WHO’s Disability Assessment Schedule, measure is based on an international classification of functioning and disability that is currently used throughout the rest of medicine

Sample Axis I 296.21 Major Depressive Disorder 303.90 Alcohol Dependence 301.6 Dependent Personality Disorder Axis II Recent Divorce, unemployment Axis III

Multiaxial Classification Note 16 syndromes in Axis I

Goals of DSM Describe (400) disorders. Determine how prevalent the disorder is. Disorders outlined by DSM-IV are reliable. Therefore, diagnoses by different professionals are similar. Others criticize DSM-IV for “putting any kind of behavior within the compass of psychiatry.”

Outcome Research Research shows that treated patients were 80% better than untreated ones.