1. Classification & Diagnosis
David Dozois University of Western Ontario Chapter 3

2. Classification of Mental Illness
From Demons to…
Disorders

3. What is Diagnosis? Assessment?p

4. Assessment & Diagnosis
“Classification is a fundamental activity of all humans” Dozois,2015, p.50
Assessment- is a procedure in which information is gathered systematically in the evaluation of a condition. Mental health assessments - interview, medical, psychophysiological and psychological testing p.50
Nick
In abnormal psychology, diagnosis consists of a determination or identification of the nature of a person's disease or condition. P.49
Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Dependent Personality Disorder…

5. Is it possible to have a perfect diagnostic system?
concurrent validity
predictive validity.
Inter-rater Reliability
A strong one? p

6. Strong Diagnostic Systems
Reliability- same measurement/result each time
Inter-rater Reliability- extent to which two raters will agree on diagnosis
Validity- diagnostic category is able to predict accurately; are we measuring what we think we’re measuring
Concurrent validity- related factors that support the conclusion/diagnosis
Predictive validity- predicting future development

7. A Critical Len on Diagnosis David Rosenhan’s Experiment
Purpose
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that psychiatrists cannot reliably tell the difference between people who are sane and those who are insane.
The Experiment

8. Classification of Mental Disorder
DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders- American Psychiatric Association)
WHO- add mental health disorders to International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 1948
DSM-III- atheoretical and polythetic
DSM-5- a move back to theoretical
p. 52

9. Categories of Disorder
At your table, scan and causally re-read the categories of disorders beginning on page
Take turns answering the following- If you had to choose area are of specialization/research- which area would you pick?
What is comorbidity? p.55

10. DSM-5 CRITICISMS
INNOVATIONS p

11. DSM-5 Criticisms/Innovations
Issues in the Diagnosis and Classification of Abnormal Behaviour
Classification in general
Medical Model
Stigmatization
Loss of information
DSM in particular
Gender Bias
Cultural Bias
Politics and the DSM