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Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5

Written by Aisling Mannion on . Posted in Clinical Psychology Bite-Size

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5

Issue 35 – May 2013

Authors: Aisling Mannion (asiling.mannion@nottshc.nhs.uk)

Key points

  • There are increasing concerns that understandable reactions to traumatic situations are being pathologised
  • Many studies highlight a financial conflict of interest between those involved in forming diagnostic categories and the pharmaceutical industry

Critique of the Evidence Base for Mental Health Treatments

Written by Aisling Mannion on . Posted in Clinical Psychology Bite-Size

Critique of the Evidence Base for Mental Health Treatments

Issue 34 – February 2013

Authors: Aisling Mannion (aisling.mannion@nottshc.nhs.uk)

Key points

  • Randomised Control Trials (RCTs) are considered the ‘gold standard’ for research, and clinical guidelines are based on the findings of these studies. However, RCTs have a number of disadvantages
  • A vast literature exists highlighting the importance of non-specific factors, such as a good therapeutic relationship, over the choice of treatment modality 

Collaborative Decision Making

Written by Steven Coles on . Posted in Clinical Psychology Bite-Size

Collaborative Decision Making

Issue 33 – December 2012

Author: Steven Coles (steven.coles@nottshc.nhs.uk)

Key points

  • Collaborative decision making requires forming a shared understanding of an issue
  • Different professionals and service users can have assumptions, values and goals that are in conflict with each other
  • Legal, organisational and professional forms of power can inhibit equality in decision making 

Is insight enough?

Written by Aisling Mannion on . Posted in Clinical Psychology Bite-Size

Is insight enough?

Issue 32 – October 2012

Author: Aisling Mannion (aisling.mannion@nottshc.nhs.uk)

Key points

  • The aim of most therapies is to increase insight
  • Insight focuses on the individual, ignoring important external factors. The concept of outsight (looking outwards to the wider world) is a useful alternative
  • Insight as a concept may vary across cultures. We need to bear in mind cultural attributions of mental illness when defining insight
  • Psychotherapy and psychiatric practice are cultural practices, which contain Western assumptions and values