Classifying Psychological Disorders

Psychology classifies disorders to:• Describe the disorder• Predict the future course of the disorder• Treat the disorder appropriately• Provide a springboard for research into the

disorder’s causes

DSM-5• The American Psychiatric

Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders.

• Lists and describes all the currently accepted categories of mental disorders

DSM-5

• Divides mental disorders into 18 clinical syndromes

• Includes the symptoms but not the causes of each disease

Labeling Disorders

• Labeling Stigmas– Studies show a clear bias

against people diagnosed with mental disorders.