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The disease entity in psychiatry: fact or fiction?

Part of: Special Articles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2012

A. Jablensky
A. Jablensky*
Affiliation:
The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
*
*Address for correspondence: Professor A. Jablensky, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. (Email: assen.jablensky@uwa.edu.au)
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Abstract

Background.

The current debate concerning the forthcoming revisions of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) lacks sufficient historical perspective on groundwork concepts in psychiatry, such as the nature of the disease entity, categorical typologies, dimensional models and their validity and utility.

Objective.

To offer an overview of the evolution and metamorphoses of the conceptual basis of classification in psychiatry, with particular focus on psychotic disorders.

Method.

Discursive, proceeding from history of ideas to a critique of present dilemmas.

Results.

Much of the present-day discussion of basic issues concerning the classification of mental disorders is a replay of debates that took place in the earlier periods of scientific psychiatry.

Conclusion.

The mainstream nosological paradigm adopted in psychiatry since early 20th century is in need to be critically examined and transcended with the help of concepts and methodological tools available today.

Keywords

Classificationnosologyutilityvalidity
Type
Special Article
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 255 - 264
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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