PSY240H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Operationalization, Genetic Linkage, Animal Testing
Document Summary
Why do we need a classification system for mental disorders. Provides info that is necessary when making decisions about treatment. Needed to conduct research on disorders and treatment. Need diagnostic systems in order to estimate the prevalence of disorders in the population. Would classify disorders on the basis of sound empirical research findings on the presenting symptoms, etiology, prognosis and response to treatment of a large sample. Symptom clusters would accurately signal different disorders, and precise cure would be available for each disorder. Unfortunately, it is hard to measure everything. Still, current system is useful for organization of information, communication, prognosis, treatment and recommendations, heuristic value. Syndrome a set of symptoms representing the observable manifestation fo an underlying biological disorder (at least in medical model approaches) The person diagnosed often will not manifest all of the symptoms associated with any given syndrome. There may be overlap between the symptoms of one syndrome and the symptoms of another comorbidity.