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Flashcards in Diagnosis Classification: DSM-IV Deck (31)
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1
Q

What does ‘DSM’ stand for?

A

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

2
Q

Who are the authors of the DSM?

A

The American Psychiatric Association

3
Q

How many versions of the DSM have there been?

A

7

4
Q

When did the DSM start?

A

1952

5
Q

What does the DSM recognise about mental disorders?

A

That causes may be purely biological and others psychological.

6
Q

What 4 factors does the DSM consider for a diagnosis?

A

1) Biological
2) Psychological
3) Social environment
4) Physical environment

7
Q

What does the DSM cover about mental disorders?

A
  • Mental disorders for all ages
  • Possible causes
  • Stats in terms of gender, age of onset, etc
  • Research concerning the optimal treatment approaches
8
Q

How is the DSM descriptive of symptoms not explanatory?

A

It only describes the diagnostic features (symptoms) of abnormal behaviour, it doesn’t attempt to explain their origins.

9
Q

How does a clinician arrive at a diagnosis?

A

They match the patient’s behaviours with the criteria of the DSM that define a particular abnormal behaviour.

10
Q

Which version of the DSM brought about the axes?

A

3

11
Q

How many axes does the DSM-IV have?

A

5

12
Q

Identify ‘Axis 1’.

A

Looking at all clinical disorders and their sub-categories.

13
Q

Describe the features of Axis 1.

A

Looking at all disorders except personality disorders and mental retardation and also looking at conditions that may need more attention than others.

14
Q

What are 2 common examples of what a clinician would find in Axis 1?

A

1) Schizophrenia

2) Depression

15
Q

Identify ‘Axis 2’.

A

Personality disorders and mental retardation.

16
Q

Describe the features of Axis 2.

A

Uses a rating scale to measure mental retardation. This and the personality disorders may not need immediate attention but must be taken into account as may affect treatment.

17
Q

What are 2 common examples of what a clinician would find in Axis 2?

A

1) Paranoia

2) OCD

18
Q

Identify ‘Axis 3’.

A

General medical conditions.

19
Q

Describe the features of Axis 3.

A

Important to establish medical conditions as they may be the cause of the clinical disorder or may affect how treatment is proposed.

20
Q

What are 2 common examples of what a clinician would find in Axis 3?

A

1) Brain injury

2) Heart disease

21
Q

Identify ‘Axis 4’.

A

Psychosocial and environmental problems.

22
Q

Describe the features of Axis 4.

A

Any factors from the patient’s environment that may effect functioning are considered.

23
Q

What are 2 common examples of what a clinician would find in Axis 4?

A

1) Poverty

2) Dysfunctional families

24
Q

Identify ‘Axis 5’.

A

Global assessment of functioning (GAF scale).

25
Q

Describe the features of Axis 5.

A

A rating scale is used to assess a patient’s ability to cope with normal life where low scores indicate danger for the patient to hurt themselves and high scores indicate superior level of functioning.

26
Q

What are 2 common examples of what a clinician would find in Axis 5?

A

1) Low score = Cannot function and may end up losing something such as their job
2) High score = Can function well in every day life such as maintaining their job

27
Q

Which axes are not compulsory and why?

A

4 and 5 due to the referring to social functioning.

28
Q

Define ‘culture bound syndromes’.

A

When patterns of abnormal behaviour occur in some cultures but not in others.

29
Q

Give an example of a culture bound syndrome in China.

A

Koro is the fear that one’s genitals are shrinking or retracting back into the body that may result in death.

30
Q

Give 4 strengths of the DSM-IV.

A

1) Provides 5 axes making it standardised and less subjective to improve reliability
2) Includes details of how to conduct diagnostic interviews and other tests
3) Addresses culture-bound syndromes to improve validity of diagnosis
4) The GAF scale was taken out of recent version to increase objectivity of the diagnosis

31
Q

Give 4 weaknesses of the DSM-IV.

A

1) The DSM being produced by the APA means that it is USA dominated and so may be less generalisation to other cultures
2) The use of axis 4 can lead to subjectivity of the clinician where they judge the environmental factors’ impact on the patient’s wellbeing
3) Issues of reliability if axis 4 isn’t essential in diagnosis so inconsistent method for different clinicians
4) Whilst trying to provide a possible explanation for cause of disorder, it cannot explain the origins of symptoms