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On Multiaxial Psychiatric Diagnosis for General Medical Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

A. Lobo*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Zaragoza, Spain

Extract

Criticism of the validity of traditional psychiatric diagnosis include concerns about its inability to capture both the meaning of the patient's problems, and the factors involved in the gestation of disorder, as well as its limited usefulness with regard to prognosis and treatment. However, the main drawback of traditional diagnosis seems to be that it leads to treating the disease rather than the individual. Against these fears, the role of diagnosis has been emphasised in enhancing communication among professionals, organising clinical experiences, planning services, building scientific theories, and pointing to new research directions (Kendell, 1975).

Type
I. Nosological Aspects
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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