Diagnoses

[Ready for Fall 2026]

Modified: 2026-08-04 9:52 AM CDST

• Classification of psychopathology means the naming of consistent patterns of abnormal behavior.
  • However, the nominal fallacy needs to be avoided. The nominal fallacy occurs whenever one thinks that naming is the same as explaining. It is not.

• Although classification is useful in differentiating among the various types of psychopathology, it is not as useful in the treatment of psychopathology.
  • One reason for the above difference is that real psychopathologies are more complex than are their descriptions.
    • There are no "textbook cases."
  • In addition, the consistency of classification from clinician to clinician varies to a high degree.
  • To cope with that inconsistency standard methods have been created for classification.
  • However, even with those methods, the problem still remains.
• The DSM-5-TR is the current standard for classification today.
  • The terms neuroses and psychoses are no longer included in the current DSM-5-TR, but they were under the DSM-II (1968).
    • It is still useful, from a teaching point of view, to explain those terms, especially because they are still in popular use, if not in clinical use.
  • Neuroses referred to conditions, ranging from non-debilitating to severe, that had their origin in anxiety or in memory problems.
    • Usually, the personality remained intact.
  • Psychoses were more severe, hospitalization was usually required, and personality disintegration was common.
  • Today, the two terms are not used primarily because the conditions they lumped together were not really related.
    • So, instead conditions are classified in a less global manner.
    • But those two words, neurotic and psychotic, remain in popular use.
  • Classification is also an aid to diagnosis and prognosis.
    • Diagnosis is intimately related to classification.the
      • Diagnosis refers to conditions observed
    • Prognosis is predicting the outcome of one's diagnosis.
      • Here is an example, "you are going to die" thatel is true but not really a helpful prognosis
        • More helpful would a a prognosis stating how much longer you might live.
  • Clinical syndrome often affects graduate students and new diagnosticians.
    • Clinical syndrome is when those learning about a clinical condition begin to suffer the symptoms they are studying.
      • So, beware of clinical syndrome as you read your text!
• Finally, etiology consists of all of the conditions that surround a particular condition.
  • Etiology plays an important role in diagnosis and prognosis.
    • A patient's prognosis, for example, may be more favorable if family members are available during the recovery period.
    • Conversely, living alone may lead to a less favorable prognosis for the same patient.
  • In the above example, social effects are part of the etiology of a clinical condition.