DSM-IV

Question

What is DSM-IV?

Answer

DSM-IV codes are a classification found in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. This is a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association that includes all currently recognised mental health disorders.

The diathesis-stress model (DSM) is a psychological approach used to understand human behaviour. It argues that individuals may have a fixed disposition which makes them more susceptible to specific disorders and emotional states when exposed to particular stressors. However, just because an individual may possess a specific disposition, it should be emphasised that this does not guarantee they will develop disorders. It is likely that they would still need to be exposed to very particular traumatic experiences, such as physical or mental abuse.

Research has indicated that a number of disorders, including depression and schizophrenia, may also contain the inherited disposition that makes some individuals susceptible to these behaviours when they encounter these issues in their social lives.

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