Classifying mental disorders

1. Lesson 2: Classifying Mental Disorders

2. Lesson 1: Normality EXAM QUESTION
a) Define the ‘historical approach’ to defining normality
b) Provide an example of this approach
1 + 1 = 2 marks

3. Lesson 1: Normality EXAM Answer
a) Define the ‘historical approach’ to defining normality
What is considered normal or abnormal in a society depends on
the era/period of time when the judgement is made
b) Provide an example of this approach
School students used to get hit on the knuckles with a cain when
they misbehaved, now this would be considered abnormal or
wrong!
1 + 1 = 2 marks

4. Classification is the organisation of items into groups on
the basis of their common properties.
What are some ways in which you could
classify potato chips? Rank them in order of
importance.
What are some ways in which you could
classify shoes? Rank them in order of
importance.
What are some ways in which mental
disorders could be classified? Rank them in
order of importance.

5. There are two main approaches to classifying mental
conditions and disorders:
Categorical & Dimensional
Both have their strengths and limitations

6. Categorical Approaches
Yes or No approach
Focus on deciding whether there is a presence or
absence of a mental disorder
Either have it or not
Black or white - no grey areas

7. Categorical Systems
Diagnostic & Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM)
International Classification
of Disease (ICD)
American Psychiatric
Association (APA)
World Health
Organisation (WHO)

8. Categorical approaches like the DMC and ICD
organise and describe mental conditions in terms of
different categories and subcategories, each with
symptoms and characteristics that are typical of
specific mental conditions and disorders.
Can you think of another example that adopts a
categorical approach?

10. Can you think of any reasons
why it could be helpful to
classify mental disorders into
categories?
How might it be unhelpful?

11. Dimensional Approaches
classify based on how much a
symptom is presenting
ranges from very
low to very high
Focus on ranking or grading a
person’s symptoms on one or
more continuos quantitative
dimensions in terms of their
severity or degree.

13. The table below simplifies the approaches using Depression
as an example