Abnormal Psychology Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders Classification

Abnormal Psychology Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders

Classification & Treatment Plans

Background info. The Client- the person seeking psychological services n Prevalence of psychological disorders: 1 in 5 people during 2007 n The Clinician- mental health professional n n Can be a Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist n Clinical Psychologist- do not have a medical license to administer medical treatment or medications n Psychiatrists- can administer medical treatment and medications

The DSM-IV n The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Published by the American Psychiatric Association n Contains descriptions of all psychological disorders, alternatively referred to as mental disorders n Concerns in Developing the DSM-IV n n Reliability n Validity n Base Rates n Social Context

The DSM-IV 1952 - DSM (aka DSM-I) n 1968 - DSM-II n 1980 - DSM-III (more quantitative, objective) n 1987 - DSM-III-R n 1994 - DSM-IV n 2000 - DSM-IV-TR n

Mental Disorder Clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern n Distress or disability n Significant risk n Not accepted, culturally sanctioned response to a particular event n

Assumptions of the DSM-IV Classification system based on medical model n Descriptive rather than explanatory n Atheortical orientation n Categorical approach n Multiaxial system n

Neurosis Refers to behavior that involves distressing, unacceptable symptoms that are enduring and lack any physical basis n Not a modern diagnostic term n

Psychosis Refers to various forms of behavior involving a loss of contact with reality, such as delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (false perceptions) n Not a formal diagnostic category, psychotic is retained in the DSM-IV-TR as a descriptive term n

Five Axes of the DSM-IV Axis I- Clinical Disorders n Axis II- Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation n Axis III- General Medical Conditions n Axis IV- Psychosocial and Environmental Problems n Axis V- Global Assessment of Functioning (helps assess prognosis) n

Types of Disorders Anxiety Disorders n Mood Disorders n Somatoform Disorders n Dissociative Disorders n Schizophrenia n Childhood Disorders n Eating Disorders n Sexual Disorders n

Diagnostic Process Client’s Reported and Observable Symptoms n Diagnostic Criteria and Differential Diagnosis n Final Diagnosis n Case Formulation n Cultural Formulation n

Diagnostic Process Decision Tree- a series of simple yes/no questions in the DSM-IV-TR about a client’s symptoms that lead to a possible diagnosis n Differential Diagnosis- ruling out all possible alternative diagnoses n

Cultural Formulation n Culture-Bound Syndromes- particular patterns of behavior in certain cultures, perhaps reflecting cultural themes that date back for centuries

Planning Treatment n Establish Treatment Goals Immediate n Short-Term n Long-Term n

Planning Treatment n Determine Treatment Site Psychiatric Hospitals n Outpatient Treatment n Halfway Houses and Day Treatment Programs n Guidance Counselors n Employee Assistance Program n

Treatment Modality Individual Psychotherapy n Family Therapy n Group Therapy n

Evidence-Based Practice n Clinical decision-making that integrates the best available research evidence and clinical expertise in the context of the client’s… Cultural background n Preferences n Characteristics n

Treatment Implementation The Course of Treatment- Clinician’s Role and Client’s Role n The Outcome of Treatment n