How are psychological disorders classified?

Fundamental & Powerful Concepts:

classification – process of describing and categorizing [behavior]

Vocabulary:

DSM-IV-TR - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, classification system for psychopathologies, 4th edition, released in 2000

stigma - negative attitudes and beliefs [about psychopathology]

categorical – way of classifying psychopathology, one either has or does not have the disorder

dimensional – way of classifying psychopathology, abnormal behavior exists on continuum, symptoms of disorder are more extreme forms of everyday behavior

comorbidity - co-occurrence of two or more disorders

culture-specific disorders – disorders that have a set of symptoms found only in that particular culture