4.2 Stregths And Limitations Of Dimensional And Categorical Approaches

Question 0

What are the strength of dimensional approaches

Answer 0

They can reflect the nature of the disorder more informatively than categorical approach - e.g. substance use disorders, personality disorders and mental retardation
Provides a profile rather than a label, thus reducing stigma
Accounts for the individual nature of each client’s presentation
Provides information about strengths and weaknesses that could inform treatment and associated decision-making

Question 1

Describe the dimensional approach

Answer 1

The dimensional approach quantify symptoms of mental disorders on a scale or continuing with lower scores indicating lower impairments and higher scores indicating higher impairments

Question 2

What are the weaknesses of the dimensional approach

Answer 2

Limited practical value when dichotomous decisions of the need to be made - for example, does or does not a person require treatment
Can be more time-consuming than categorical approaches
Can reduce the shared language amongst clinicians

Question 3

Describe the categorical approach

Answer 3

The categorical approach is consistent with the medical tradition, in which it is believed and often confirmed in other areas of medicine, that disorders has specific aetiologies, pathologies and treatments

Question 4

What are the strength of the categorical approach

Answer 4

Provides a shared language which facilitates communication between stakeholders. Without a common language capacity for communication would be significantly reduced.

Can help guide clinicians towards a purportedly correct diagnosis

Can help research is in investigating clusters of symptoms

Question 5

What are the weaknesses of a categorical approach

Answer 5

Poor interrater reliability
Excessive comorbidity amongst categorical diagnoses which may indicate invalidity of diagnostic distinctions rather than the presence of multiple conditions
Categorical distinctions can increase stigma and therefore be a barrier to care
Categorical diagnoses can be self-fulfilling
Purely medical model does not incorporate biopsychosocial understanding of condition and treatment