Strengths Associated With Using the Diagnostic and

¶ … strengths associated with using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. One of the foremost among these is its widespread usage and lack of ambiguity in regards to terms, as well as its authority throughout the industry. As mentioned in John Marszalek's video, this manual provides a common language with which practitioners can communicate to one another, insurance professionals, as well as to clients (No date).

As such, this manual and its terms enable a uniformity of perception that can be of immense benefit in a subject such as mental disorders, which may appear nebulous to those experiencing them. This benefit should not be underestimated, since the manual provides a scale by which clients can be judged and understood by one another -- which is excellence in terms of lucidity and conveying particular aspects of patients to those who need to be aware of them.

Another fairly eminent strongpoint of this book in its role in assessment and diagnosis is that it is extremely comprehensive. Its multi-axial methodology encompasses virtually all of the eminent facets which may affect a person's mental state (APA, 2013, p. 27). It takes into consideration health and general medical conditions which may affect a person's cognition and mental state, as well as environmental and sociological concerns that can similarly affect the patient. It also examines a patient's history in terms of clinical disorders and personality disorders.

If clinicians are shrewd in their assessments, there is room for virtually all of the most significant factors affecting a person's mind state in this particular manual. One of the potential limitations of this manual, however, is the fact that some of its classifications and value judgments it forces clinicians to make seem a little rigid. In assessing mental health and overall factors affecting a person's behavior and mood, there is always room for doubt and uncertainty.

The manual makes it seem as though the clinician must have a great deal of certitude in his or her perceptions about a specific area of the client, because the way in which assessments and diagnoses are made, there is little leeway once a decision is made. For instance, the quantitative way in which multi-axial five operates requires the clinician to determine a precise number for overall client functioning -- when such things may be more subjective than objective.

Additionally, a look at some of the information in this manual makes it appear as though there may be biases towards some of the classifications of the disorders. The way the classifications are set up, certain identifiable symptoms may prod a clinician towards a particular assessment just due to the position of the disorders. Clinicians would have to be careful to be sure of all of the relevant factors for a particular diagnosis before committing themselves to one.

As a forensic psychologist, I can certainly see this manual playing a substantial role as a point of reference for any cases in which mental disorders may.