Each mental disorder is defined by a precise set of symptoms, how many must be present, and their duration
Mental disorder and and normality are too ambiguous to distinguish between, but although we canât develop a useful definition for the general concept âmental disorder,â it is balanced by the very good news that we can quite easily define each one of the specific mental disorders. The method, introduced by DSM-III in 1980, is simple and effective. The description of each DSM disorder is accompanied by a criteria set that lists in fairly precise terms which symptoms define it, how many must be present, and their required duration.
There are about two hundred criteria sets in the DSMâone for each mental disorder. These establish the boundaries that separate the mental disorders from one another and from normality. Each criteria set has the symptoms that define that particular disorder (panic, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, ADHD, autism, etc.) and the required threshold. When clinicians follow the criteria, they achieve reasonable agreement. Without them, there is poor agreement. Each clinician becomes a law unto himself, and the result is a confusing Babel of clashing, idiosyncratic voices.
References
- Frances, Allen. (2013). Saving Normal CHAPTER 1. Whatâs Normal and Whatâs Not? (p. 41). New York, NY: HarperCollins.
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