Posted by SLS on October 11, 2006, at 5:28:55
In reply to Re: experts say...ditch schizophrenia label, posted by alexandra_k on October 10, 2006, at 23:30:48
> The sub-types don't seem to be natural kinds either...
According to whom? I would disagree with that statement. That they are is rather obvious in my opinion.
> There can be about as much variation between patients of the same subtype as there is between patients with different diagnoses
Symptoms do not exist in a vacuum as they vary. They tend to occur in clusters and segregate themselves in manners that are identifiable to a disorder much like are fingerprints to an individual. That's why current diagnostic schemes have been working so far to the degree that they have - which has been remarkable as far as I am concerned given the subjective nature of observation and interpretation in behavioral or psychological illnesses. It has been this fortunate segregation of symptoms, features, and characteristics that has allowed for differential diagnosis at a time when biological tests are not available and psychometric examinations are still being explored.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:693568
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061011/msgs/693760.html