It is important to understand the difference between validity and reliability of diagnosis.

The most common in Western countries is the DSM, which is now in its fifth edition. The use of this in itself has some benefits and limitations, which is one of the topics we will discuss in class. There are numerous classification systems that attempt to do this.

In order to carry out a successful diagnosis, clinicians must first have an understanding of the symptoms associated with each disorder. We can see from the difficulties in defining and describing what is normal, that it would be naturally be very difficult to make a diagnosis of a psychological disorder.ĭiagnosis of psychological disorders refers to the judgement made by a clinician as to whether or not an individual has a psychological disorder, and if so, what disorder/s they might have. This topic is a natural progression from understanding the concepts of normality and abnormality. Make sure you have a copy of the Key Questions, Specific Learning Targets and the Glossary for this topic. Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis.