Defining a Mental Disorder
The definition of the concept of a “mental disorder,” fundamental to the mental health field, has been an important and controversial issue in psychology. Labeling a person’s behavior abnormal, effects the way they are viewed and view themselves, and determines the recommendations for treatment. Since the term describes such a broad range of illnesses, it is difficult to come up with a definition that is adequately inclusive and consistent. J.C. Wakefield (1992) made a compelling argument that defined a mental disorder as a “harmful dysfunction.” However, the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (as cited in Emery & Oltmanns, 1998) provides a more complete definition that includes the different characteristics of mental disorders, while excluding certain conditions that could lead to behavior that may be misconstrued as evidence of a mental disorder. Specifically, the DSM –IV (as cited in Emery & Oltmanns, 1998) requires that present distress, disability, or a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom must charac
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 754
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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