Diagnosing Mental Disorders- The Multiaxial Approach

Axis on the DSM IV

Classifying Mental Illness

There are currently two widely established categorical systems for classifying mental illness: 1. Chapter V of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and 2. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) produced by the American Psychiatric Association

Comparison
Both list categories of disorders thought to be

distinct types, and have deliberately converged their codes in recent revisions so that the manuals are often broadly comparable, although significant differences remain

ICD
The ICD is produced by the

World Health Organization. Like the DSM, it is descriptive and largely based on the symptoms reported by the patient and criteria ranked as important by professionals. It does not consider causes or possible treatment. It has undergone many revisions and is currently up to its tenth (ICD-10).

Use of the DSM-IV

Psychologists use the results from diagnostic tests as well as clinical interviews and observations to build a profile of symptoms. They then compare this profile of symptoms to the DSM-IVs descriptions of disorders. The disorders described in the DSM are divided into five groups or Axis.

Axis I: clinical disorders Symptoms that cause distress or significantly impair social or occupational functioning (such as anxiety disorders, depression)

Axis V: global assessment of functioning The individual's overall level of functioning in social, occupational and leisure

Axis II: personality disorders and mental retardation Chronic and enduring problems that generally persist throughout life and impair interpersonal or occupational functioning (such as multiple personality disorder)

Axis IV: psychosocial and environmental problems Problems (such as interpersonal stressors and negative life events) that may affect the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis (prediction of the course of a disease) of psychological disorders

Axis III: general medical condition Physical disorders that may be relevant to understanding or treating a psychological disorder