Study Debates in diagnosis in the Pearson Edexcel A Level Psychology specification, including the knowledge, application and evaluation needed for exam questions and mark-scheme…
In your studies of clinical psychology, you will have learned about the diagnosis of mental health disorders.
Explain whether the diagnosis of mental health disorders can be considered valid.
AO1 (2 marks), AO3 (2 marks)
Credit up to two marks for an accurate identification (AO1)
Credit up to two marks for justification/exemplification (AO3)
For example;
- Diagnosis can be considered valid as the DSM and ICD have
criterion validity when they are both used and diagnose the same
disorder (1) This is shown by Andrews et al. (1999) who found
agreement in diagnosis in 1500 people for depression, substance
dependence and anxiety, using the DSM-IV and ICD-10 (1).
However, differences in interpreting symptoms can reduce the
construct validity of operationalised diagnosis criteria which
reduces validity of diagnosis (1). Cooper et al. (1972) reported
that New York psychiatrists are twice as likely than London
psychiatrists to diagnose schizophrenia when shown the same
video-taped clinical interviews, so criteria may not be objectively
interpreted (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
(4)