Diagnostic Classification of Jenson & Hoagwood

Psychiatrist Peter S. Jensen and psychologist Kimberly Hoagwood argue that though useful, the descriptive names for mental illnesses for children, adolescents and adults found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS) are best used only in combination with other considerations in diagnosing patients. They say that a diagnosis of mental illness based on observations during the interview with the patient should not depend too heavily on the symptoms and signs outlined in the DMS. Instead, the mental health professional must also delve into family history, family and peer relations, culture, environment and other factors in order to arrive at a more well-rounded view of the patient's life, which will lead to finding the most effective treatment for the patient.

Background

• The standard, accepted practice in making diagnoses of mental illnesses is for the mental health professional to consult the guidelines found in the DSM, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association.

How To Improve Diagnoses

• Jensen and Hoagwood, who are experts in child and adolescent mental health, offer suggestions for improving the diagnosis of mental illness in their article "The Book of Names: DSM-IV in Context." The clinicians state that diagnoses in children and adolescents will improve if mental health professionals understand the child's family and peer relationships; the type of school the child attends; the environment (home and community) the child lives in; the child's cultural background; how society views the child and how the child views society; and how well the child functions mentally and socially.

Look On the Bright Side

• In the article "Outcomes of Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents: I. A Comprehensive Conceptual Model" appearing in the "Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry," (August, 1996) Hoagwood, the lead author, argues that the above-mentioned factors must be evaluated over time and that the mental health professional, though aware of mental dysfunction, should not fixate on the child's deficiencies to the detriment of focusing on whether the child has the potential to adapt positively to her environment.

The Future

• The definitions and categorizations of mental illnesses are evolving, since they are based on new research, tools, scientific findings and views on mental illness, Jensen and Hoagwood write. This environment of change will influence how present and future mental health professionals observe their patients and make diagnoses. New methods are inevitable.

The Ideal Aim of Diagnoses

• Jensen and Hoagwood argue that the mental illness diagnostic system would serve people better if it not only correctly identified a patient's mental illness but, more importantly, directed those in need of help to the best resource.