Philosophical And Methodological Foundations of Psychiatric Diagnosis: Psychopathology 2005, No 4

The developments that took place in the last few decades regarding psychiatric diagnosis and classification changed considerably the face of psychiatry, in terms of clinical practice, training and research. These gains are now calling for the critical review of the conceptual foundations of classification and diagnosis. This monographic issue of "Psychopathology" was produced within the ongoing and steady WPA-WHO collaborative process towards the improvement of the diagnostic tools in psychiatry. It addresses the complexities of psychiatric diagnosis, conceptualized as both a clinical formulation and a key clinical care activity. Throughout its four main components: I. Conceptual Bases of Diagnostic Systems; II. Experience, Context and Diagnostic Processes; III. Measurement: Taxonomy and Scaling, and IV. Epistemological Challenges Presented by Health-Related Fields, the reader will find insightful and thought-provoking contributions from first-rate experts.