Descriptive Psychopathology

Description

In order to accurately describe and diagnose psychiatric illness, practitioners require in-depth knowledge of the signs and symptoms of behavioral disorders. Descriptive Psychopathology provides a broad review of the psychopathology of psychiatric illness, beyond the limitations of the DSM and ICD criteria. Beginning with a discussion of the background to psychiatric classification, the authors explore the problems and limitations of current diagnostic systems. The following chapters then present the principles of psychiatric examination and diagnosis, described with accompanying patient vignettes and summary tables, and related to different diagnostic concerns. A thought-provoking conclusion proposes a restructuring of psychiatric classification based on the psychopathology literature and its validating data. Written for psychiatry and neurology residents, clinical psychologists, behavioral neurologists, clinical psychology students and psychiatric nurse practitioners, it is invaluable to anyone who accepts the responsibility for the care of patients with behavioral syndromes.

• Describes the signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness critical for diagnosis and treatment • Includes tables summarising the main teaching points, patient vignettes and ‘virtual’ examples of diagnostic decision making • Provides a logical and practical approach to diagnosis and patient evaluation and examination

Contents

Preface; Acknowledgments; Section I. Present, Past, and Future: 1. Beyond the DSM and ICD - a rationale for understanding and using descriptive psychopathology; 2. A history of psychiatric classification; 3. The brain and psychopathology; Section II. The Neuropsychiatic Evaluation: 4. The neuropsychiatic evaluation - principles of descriptive psychopathology and the diagnostic process; 5. The neuropsychiatic evaluation - examination style, structure, and technique; Section III. Examination Domains: 6. Psychopathology of everyday behavior and general appearance; 7. Disturbances of motor function; 8. Disturbances in emotional experience; 9. Disturbances in speech and language; 10. Perceptual disturbances; 11. Delusions and abnormal thought content; 12. Obsessive-compulsive behaviors; 13. Cognitive testing and the psychopathology of cognitive dysfunction; 14. Personality; 15. Abnormal trait behaviors: personality disorder; Section IV. Evidence-based Classification: 16. Evidence-based classification; References; Index.