FIGURE 3.1 • A Disorder as on a Continuum If a disorder such as schizophrenia is best characterized along a continuum, then two people, Aaron and Max, diagnosed with schizophrenia but with different severity or numbers of symptoms, would fall at different points on the continuum. Aaron has fewer symptoms and is able to function better than Max. According to DSM-5, they both have the same disorder. However, their illnesses have different courses and prognoses and will likely require different types of treatment. None of this information is captured by the categorical diagnostic system of DSM-5.