Exploring Clinical Significance: A Understanding Mental Health: A Practical Guide

As a gateway to support for those who experience significant distress or

impairment as a result of cognitive, affective, developmental, social,

environmental, or other personal/interpersonal challenges, mental disorder

diagnosis is a common practice in mental health professions. In order to practice

effectively and ethically, diagnosticians should develop a keen understanding of

the diagnostic guidelines they follow in research and practice. The Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) is a dominant diagnostic

classification used throughout the world. Because it impacts innumerable lives in

significant ways, the DSM should be used judiciously by diagnosticians. By

understanding the history and development of the DSM within a clinical

backdrop, diagnosticians can better understand the fundamental strengths and

limitations of this hegemonic manual. In addition, understanding the history and

development of specific mental disorders can help diagnosticians better

understand the conditions they diagnose and facilitate a more rigorous and careful

diagnostic process. This Book uses paper format, where each chapter stands as its

own study. Using a paper Book format, dissemination via peer-reviewed journals

is more easily facilitated so that the papers may be available to a wide body

of readership in order to promote more judicious use of the DSM and

mental disorder diagnosis. Variations of four chapters in this paper-format

dissertation have been published in peer-reviewed journals, and a fifth has been

accepted and is in press. In addition to a review of the historical developments

of the DSM, I review the historical developments of autism and

Asperger's Disorder