Licenciatura

de Psicología

Psicología del Desarrollo Escolar y Adolescencia



Asignación 3

Profesor:
Albin Bonilla


Estudiante:
Ana Patricia De Souza
8-829-1942





Panamá, 10 de febrero de 2020





 ARTICLE ANALYSIS

In the first instance I can say that I disagree with the article, since psychologists cannot define
a disease since that is the responsibility of a psychiatrist. However we can not leave aside that
the article is very interesting in terms of diseases.

Talking a little bit abou psycological disorders I can say, is a condition characterized by
abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

As far as diagnostic is concerned we can mention that unlike diabetes or cancer there is no
medical test that can provide a diagnosis of mental illness.

Although we can’t diagnosis psycological disorders, we can classified them. Psychologists and
psychiatrists have classified psychological disorders into categories. Classification allows
clinicians and researchers to describe disorders, predict outcomes, consider treatments, and
encourage research into their etiology.
Psychologists and psychiatrists use a reference book called the Diagnostic And Statistical
Manual Of Mental Disorders(DSM) to diagnose psychological disorders. The American
Psychiatric Association published the first version of the DSM in 1952. It has been revised
several times, and the newest version is commonly referred to as the DSM-IV. Although
the DSM is used worldwide and considered a very valuable tool for diagnosing psychological
disorders, it has been criticized for several reasons. For example, some critics believe it can
lead to normal problems of living being turned into “diseases.” For example, a child who
displays the inattentive and hyperactive behavior normally seen in young children could be
diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder by an overzealous clinician. In earlier
versions of the DSM, homosexuality was listed as a disorder. Some critics argue that including
relatively minor problems such as caffeine-induced sleep disorder in the DSM will cause
people to liken these problems to serious disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Most of the major disorders listed in the DSM are found worldwide, although cultural factors
often influence the symptoms and course of disorders. Culture-bound disorders, on the other
hand, are limited to specific cultural contexts. They may or may not be linked
to DSM diagnostic categories. One example of a culture-bound syndrome described in
the DSM is dhat, a condition that occurs in India and is characterized by anxiety, hypochondria,
discharge of semen, whitish urine color, weakness, and exhaustion. Similar conditions exist in
Sri Lanka and China.

In order to speak about different types of mental disorders, I can say that there are nearly 300
mental disorders listed in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
Some of the main groups of mental disorders are: mood disorders (such
as depression or bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders
(such as schizophrenia), eating disorders, trauma-related disorders (such as post-traumatic
stress disorder), substance abuse disorders.

The diagnosis of mental illness can be controversial. There have been many debates in the
medical community about what is and isn’t a mental illness. The definition can be influenced
by our society and culture, but most mental illnesses occur across all countries and cultures.
This suggests that they are not just constructed by social norms and expectations, but have a
biological and psychological basis too.