Psychopathology - ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS
Questions with Correct Answers
Who was the ICD-10 developed by and what does it consist of? Correct
Answer-WHO (1992) and it is part of the WHO's classification and
coding system for ALL diseases, not just mental health problems.
What is the official classificatory system of the American Psychiatric
Association (APA)? Correct Answer-The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual (DSM)
What does the DSM specify? Correct Answer-What constitutes a
psychological disorder and the diagnostic criteria for diagnoses
Give a brief history of the DSM. Correct Answer-19th century -
Kraepelin creates early classification
1918 - Statistical Manual for Use of Institutions for the Insane
1933 - Standard Classified Nomenclature of Diseases
1952: DSM 1 - psychoanalytically influenced
1967 - DSM 2
1980 - DSM 3 - more influenced by research, defined explicit criteria,
multi-axial system
1994: DSM 4
2014: DSM 5
, What are the key features of the DSM 5? Correct Answer-- Focuses on
observable 'symptoms'
- 'polythetic diagnosis' = some but not all symptoms have to be present
to meet criteria
- it is atheoretical
What is the DSM definition of a psychological disorder? Correct
Answer-- A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance
in individuals cognition, emotion regulation or behavior
- reflects dysfunction in psychological, biological, or developmental
processes underlying mental functioning
- usually associated with significant distress/disability
- Not an expectable or culturally approved response to common stressor
of loss, such as death of a loved one
- Not a form of socially deviant behavior or conflict primarily between
individual and society (unless deviance/conflict results from a
dysfunction in the individual.
What are the general advantages of classification? Correct Answer-
Enables research into mental health problems
Facilitates communication between professionals
Aids development of effective interventions
Allows for collection of epidemiological statistics
Some service-users find it helpful to have diagnosis
Arguably categorization is how we understand and make sense of the
world and our experience
Questions with Correct Answers
Who was the ICD-10 developed by and what does it consist of? Correct
Answer-WHO (1992) and it is part of the WHO's classification and
coding system for ALL diseases, not just mental health problems.
What is the official classificatory system of the American Psychiatric
Association (APA)? Correct Answer-The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual (DSM)
What does the DSM specify? Correct Answer-What constitutes a
psychological disorder and the diagnostic criteria for diagnoses
Give a brief history of the DSM. Correct Answer-19th century -
Kraepelin creates early classification
1918 - Statistical Manual for Use of Institutions for the Insane
1933 - Standard Classified Nomenclature of Diseases
1952: DSM 1 - psychoanalytically influenced
1967 - DSM 2
1980 - DSM 3 - more influenced by research, defined explicit criteria,
multi-axial system
1994: DSM 4
2014: DSM 5
, What are the key features of the DSM 5? Correct Answer-- Focuses on
observable 'symptoms'
- 'polythetic diagnosis' = some but not all symptoms have to be present
to meet criteria
- it is atheoretical
What is the DSM definition of a psychological disorder? Correct
Answer-- A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance
in individuals cognition, emotion regulation or behavior
- reflects dysfunction in psychological, biological, or developmental
processes underlying mental functioning
- usually associated with significant distress/disability
- Not an expectable or culturally approved response to common stressor
of loss, such as death of a loved one
- Not a form of socially deviant behavior or conflict primarily between
individual and society (unless deviance/conflict results from a
dysfunction in the individual.
What are the general advantages of classification? Correct Answer-
Enables research into mental health problems
Facilitates communication between professionals
Aids development of effective interventions
Allows for collection of epidemiological statistics
Some service-users find it helpful to have diagnosis
Arguably categorization is how we understand and make sense of the
world and our experience
