Psychiatric diagnosis under conditions of uncertainty: Personality disorder, science and professional legitimacy

Abstract

Why has there been a very rapid elaboration of the category of personality disorder within psychiatric classifications over the last 20 years? Personality disorder is the site of considerable psychiatric controversy. Its classification, diagnosis, and treatment are disputed not only within psychiatry, but also in closely related fields of forensic and psychological work. For severe cases, the Home Secretary in Britain has recently suggested that pre-emptive incarceration is justified, and many psychiatrists feel that personality disorder is not amenable to treatment. This paper seeks to make a contribution to the sociology of psychiatric knowledge, drawing both on recent work on the sociology of science and technology, and on the relationship between psychiatric practice and government in the late 20th century.