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Psychiatry's Turbid Solution

Richters, John E. and Hinshaw, Stephen P. (1997) Psychiatry's Turbid Solution. [Journal (Paginated)]

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Abstract

Psychiatry?s generic concept of disorder has long served an important legitimizing function for the broad array of conditions for which individuals seek mental health treatment, regardless of their presumed causes. Wakefield?s proposal to restrict the mental disorder concept to only a subset of these conditions has given rise to concerns about the uncertain consequences of classifying others as non-disorders. In Bergner?s recent counterproposal, this concern is masked in the form of a conspicuously overinclusive definition of mental disorder. Bergner?s resistance to Wakefield?s classification objective underscores an important, unmet, and often unacknowledged need within the clinical treatment community. The challenge ahead lies in finding ways to address this need without compromising the integrity of efforts to develop a more coherent concept of mental disorder.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:Mental Disorder, Psychopathology, Dysfunction, DSM, Classification, Evolutionary Psychology
Subjects:Psychology > Clinical Psychology
Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology
ID Code:1015
Deposited By: Richters, John
Deposited On:15 Oct 2000
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:54

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