Diagnosing Mental Disorders- The Multiaxial

Approach

Axis on the DSM IV

Classifying Mental Illness

• There are currently two widely established categorical systems for classifying mental illness:

1. Chapter V of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and

2. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) produced by the American Psychiatric Association

Comparison

Both list categories of disorders thought to be distinct types, and have deliberately converged their codes in recent revisions so that the manuals are often broadly comparable, although significant differences remain

ICD

• The ICD is produced by the World Health Organization.

• Like the DSM, it is descriptive and largely based on the symptoms reported by the patient and criteria ranked as important by professionals.

• It does not consider causes or possible treatment. It has undergone many revisions and is currently up to its tenth (ICD-10).

Use of the DSM-IV

Psychologists use the results from diagnostic tests as well as clinical interviews and observations to build a profile of symptoms. They then compare this profile of symptoms to the DSM-IV’s descriptions of disorders.

• The disorders described in the DSM are divided into five groups or Axis.

LASTLY:

Read pages 428-434, complete Review 18.1 and page 133 of you work book.