Psychopathology

Psychopathology
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Psychopathology
PERSPECTIVE 1: (Amaris) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Comment on the new DSM-5 criteria (2013) in preparation.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) can be defined as the standard diagnostic manual that oversees the diagnosis, disease follows up, treatment, insurance reimbursements, as well as clinical research. The DSM defines the values and the approaches to be used by the medical practitioners when attending to patients with mental disorders. The manual gives the steps as well as the techniques to be used by the practitioners. It helps the healthcare practitioners maintain professionalism and ensure ethical care. Additionally, the manual helps guide the welfare of mental disorder patients by ensuring that the correct drugs are issued. It contains standards which help provide quality care in a way that the welfare of the patients is put into account. Through the use of the manual, the entire process of attending to the patients is aligned according to the healthcare policies and the final outcome is ensured to be high (Edition, 2013). On the other hand, the DSM converts the mental disorders into labels which affect their interpretation. For instance, it subdivides the mental disorders to a point that it becomes challenging to diagnose the mental conditions.
PERSPECTIVE 2 (Meshella): Which psychological model best explains the etiology of psychopathology (psychodynamic, behavioural, cognitive, humanistic)? Why?
According to me, the biological model best describes the etiology of psychopathology.

The fact that the etiology of psychopathology entails the causative agents of the mental disorders renders this theory to objectively define causes and development of mental disorders. The model critically discusses the genetic as well as neurological etiology of mental disorders (McCrae & John, 2002). The model incorporates clinical aspects of the causative agents of mental disorders. The model critically explores the nervous system and helps identify the point of origin of mental disorders. It looks into the genetic elements and pinpoints the location where the abnormality that triggers various mental conditions emanates from. The theory makes it easy to identify the treatment method.
PERSPECTIVE 3 (Jerica): 1. What is abnormal behaviour?. 2. How do context and cultural differences affect the definition of abnormality?
Abnormal behaviour can be defined by any actions which deviate from the actions which are considered normal. These behaviours present themselves in a manner that they do not agree with what people perceive as acceptable. The behaviour is defined by thoughts which are opposite from normal ones. All patients suffering from mental disorders to some extent show abnormal behaviour (McLeod, 2018). It is notable that while some behaviours may be considered abnormal by people of some cultures, others are considered normal. Culturally, an activity is considered abnormal depending on its alignment with the social norms. If an action deviates from it is considered abnormal.
PERSPECTIVE 4 (Karen): Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Comment on the new DSM-5 criteria (2013) in preparation.
DSM has made it possible to conduct disease diagnosis. The diagnosis of diseases, as well as disease, follow up has been effective through the uses of this manual. With the manual, it is easy to differentiate the symptoms that a mental health patient shows and identify the exact disorder that a patient is suffering from. The manual has made it possible for healthcare providers to compare treatments administered to patients with specific disorders and identify the medication as well as the dosage that is appropriate for them (Guterman 2017). Additionally, the DSM sets a standard for various medical procedures including diagnosis, treatment, disease follow up and prevention procedures. In the long run, this helps maintain professionalism since all the ethical aspects are put into an account.
On the other hand, the use of DSM is associated with some weaknesses such as the increase in the workload. Reportedly, a significant percentage of mental therapists have argued that the use of the manual has greatly increased the paperwork (Guterman 2017). In turn, this has led to the decline in reimbursements. Some classifications found in the manual are challenging to employ when classifying mental disorders for purposes of treatment. The reason behind this is the fact that the manual has ensured extensive classification of the disorders.
References
Edition, F. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. American Psychiatric Publishing, Arlington, VA.Guterman J. (2017). Limitations of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — also known as the DSM5.. Medium. Retrieved 12 May 2018, from https://medium.com/@jeffreyguterman/limitations-of-the-diagnostic-and-statistical-manual-of-mental-disorders-also-known-as-the-dsm-f864149da182McCrae, R. R., & John, O. P. (2002). An introduction to the five‐factor model and its applications. Journal of personality, 60(2), 175-215.
McLeod, S. (2018). Abnormal Psychology | Simply Psychology. Simplypsychology.org. Retrieved 12 May 2018, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/abnormal-psychology.html