What are the six steps of differential diagnosis?
I. Rule out Substance Abuse Etiology II. Rule out Etiology due to General Medical Condition III Determine the Specific Primary Disorder IV Differentiate Adjustment Disorder from appropriate NOS category V Establish the Boundary with no Mental Disorder VI Rule out Factitious Disorder or Malingering
What does DSM-IV-TR stand for?
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision
What are the five axes of diagnosis for the DSM-IV-TR?
I.: Clinical Disorder II. Personality Disorders and MR III. Medical Conditions IV. Psychosocial and environmental problems V. GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale)
4.) Is the DSM categorical or dimensional? Are disorders homogenous or heterogeneous?
5.) What is a mental disorder?
Definition of mental disorder: a mental disorder is conceptualized as a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress, disability, or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom.
6.) Is it possible to have a medical condition, substance abuse, and primary disorder occurring all at one time? How would you indicate this using the DSM?
Yes. Use the NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) category to indicate multiple concurrent etiologies.
7.) Can you rely only upon a psychological test to arrive at a DSM diagnosis? Why not?
No. Psychological tests do not cover the criteria content (the specific criteria for a DSM diagnosis).