1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

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

6. Multiaxial Classification
Note 16 syndromes in Axis I

7. 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.”

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