A categorical approach to mental disorder

 A categorical approach to mental disorder commonly used in
the United States and much of the world is the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychi-
atric Association [APA], 2013). General features of mental dis-
order according to the DSM include the following:DSM include the following

 

A syndrome (or mental disorder or diagnosis) includes a
group of abnormal behaviors or number of symptoms associ-
ated with distress, signicant work or interpersonal problems,
or likelihood of future problems. Recall Ricardo and Yoko from
Chapter 1 who had symptoms of anxiety. Ricardo qualied for a
DSM diagnosis of social phobia because his symptoms interferedDSM diagnosis of social phobia because his symptoms interferedDSM
with daily functioning. Yoko’s anxiety symptoms, however, were
not accompanied by signicant impairment in daily functioning,
and so she did not qualify for a diagnosis.