Classification and Diagnosis of Mental Disorders

Abstract

The purpose of classification of mental disorders is to facilitate diagnosis. To diagnose means to discern, to find out to what extent a particular disease, disorder, or dysfunction differs from other diseases, disorders, or dysfunctions, and what it has in common with similar ones. Every single case is unique, that is, an idiophenomenon, because it is a disease or a disorder of a particular person at a particular period of time. However, if it shares certain characteristics with other cases, these common characteristics permit putting them together into categories or classes and form general nomothetic conclusions.