chapter 4 - classification, assessment, and diagnosis

what is assessment?

gathering and organizing information about a person’s behavior; interviews, observation, tests

what is diagnosis?

identifying a disorder from its characteristic symptoms

what is a classification system?

a system for grouping objects or organisms that share certain properties

what is taxonomy?

classification in a scientific context

what is nosology?

a taxonomy applied to medical or psychological phenomena

what is nomenclature?

the names or labels within a nosological system

what is a categorical approach?

qualitative distinctions – you either have it or do not; DSM’s approach

what is a dimensional approach?

attributes fall on a continuum and are measured quantitatively; most symptom data actually look dimensional

what are the two diagnostic systems used?

DSM-5-TR and ICD-11

what is the DSM-5-TR?

covers mental disorders, dominant in US research and clinical practice

what is the ICD-11?

published by the WHO, it covers all health conditions and is used for health statistics worldwide

when was the DSM first developed?

1952

what version of the DSM was the turning point and why?

DSM-III in 1980; definitions became specific with explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria, classification rested on lists of observable, measurable symptoms

what is diagnostic reliability?

the extent to which clinicians agree on the diagnosis of the same patient

what is interrater reliability?

do two clinicians assessing the same person agree?

what test-retest reliability?

does the person show the same diagnosable symptoms across assessments?

what is validity?

whether the diagnosis is accurate and/or useful

what is etiological validity?

does the category relate to factors that caused the disorder?

what is concurrent validity?

does it relate to other symptoms and behaviors right now?

what is predictive validity?

does it forecast course, outcome, and treatment response

what are internalizing disorders?

inward-directed; further separable into fear-related and distress related diagnoses

what are externalizing disorders?

outward directed, sometimes explosive; substance use conduct disorder, ADHD

what are transdiagnostic factors?

if a mechanism is shared, the treatment may be sharable too in the DSM-5

what is HiTOP?

a data based approach to understanding the statistical connections between different types of mental disorders and their underlying components; aims to increase both reliability and validity

what is the labeling theory?

a perspective primarily concerned with the negative consequences of assigning a diagnostic label

what are the four primary goals of clinical assessment?

making a diagnosis, making a predictions about what is likely to happen, planning interventions, and evaluating interventions