Author Archive

Difficulties with Diagnosis

Written by Steven Coles on September 29, 2008. Posted in Clinical Psychology Bite-Size

There appears to be a continuum between what is deemed ‘psychotic’ and so-called normality, rather than distinct diagnostic categories.
Unlike medical diagnosis in physical health, psychiatric diagnosis lacks clear physical markers (signs) and is reliant on what clients say and do (symptoms).
Psychiatric diagnosis does not appear to reflect real or meaningful categories.
Diagnosis of “schizophrenia” is a poor predictor of outcome (symptomatically and socially) and does not indicate response to specific psychiatric medications.

Evidence points to environmental factors rather than genetic / biological factors as the reason for the increased rate of psychosis in some ethnic minority groups. Social factors in particular have been put forward as likely.
Encountering discrimination seems to be related to people experiencing ‘delusional ideation’ at a later time.
Individual discrimination can be subtle as well as blatant. Subtle forms can be as psychologically damaging as more obvious forms.