INTRODUCTION 

TO UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

Introduction to clinical psychology

Clinical psychology is a subfield of the larger discipline of psychology. Like all

psychologists, clinical psychologists are interested in behaviour and mental processes.
Clinical psychologists generate research about human behaviour, seek to apply the results of
that research, and engage in individual assessment. Like the members of some other
professions, clinical psychologists provide assistance to those who need help with 
psychological problems. Clinical psychology is a broad branch of psychology that focuses on
diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. Clinical psychology is
the branch of psychology concerned with the assessment and treatment of mental illness,
abnormal behaviour, and psychiatric problems.”

According to Saccuzzo & Kaplan (1994), “Clinical psychology is an applied branch of 
psychology devoted to helping adjust, solve problems, change, improve, and achieve their 
highest potential”. According to Korchin (1986), “Clinical psychology is most distinctly 
defined by the clinical attitude, i.e. a concern with understanding and helping individuals in 
psychological distress

The definition of clinical psychology adopted by the American Psychological Association’s

Division of Clinical Psychology reads as follows: “The field of Clinical Psychology
integrates science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and alleviate maladjustment,
disability, and discomfort as well to promote human adaptation, adjustment, and personal
development. Clinical Psychology focuses on the intellectual, emotional, biological, social,
and behavioural aspects of human functioning across the life span, in varying cultures, and at
all socioeconomic levels” (American Psychological Association, Division 12, 2012). This
definition focuses on the integration of science and practice, the  application of this integrated
knowledge across diverse human populations, and the purpose of  alleviating human
suffering and promoting health.
Criteria of abnormality

There are some clear elements or indicators of abnormality (Lilienfeld & Marino, 1999; Stein
et al., 2010). No single indicator is sufficient in and of itself to define or determine
abnormality. Nonetheless, the more that someone has difficulties in the following areas, the
more likely he or she is to have some form of mental disorder.

1. Suffering: If people suffer or experience psychological pain we are inclined to consider

this as indicative of abnormality. Depressed people clearly suffer, as do people with anxiety
disorders. Although suffering is an element of abnormality in many cases, it is neither a
sufficient condition (all that is needed) nor even a necessary condition (a feature that all cases
of abnormality must show) for us to consider something as abnormal.

2. Maladaptiveness: Maladaptive behaviour is often an indicator of abnormality. The person

with anorexia may restrict her intake of food to the point where she becomes so emaciated
that she needs to be hospitalized. The person with depression may withdraw from friends and
family and may be unable to work for weeks or months. Maladaptive behaviour interferes
with our well- being and with our ability to enjoy our work and our relationships.

3. Statistical Deviancy: The word abnormal literally means “away from the normal.” Mental
retardation which is statistically rare and represents a deviation from normal is considered to
reflect abnormality. If something is statistically rare and undesirable (as is severely
diminished intellectual functioning), we are more likely to consider it.

4. Violation of the Standards of Society: All cultures have rules. Some of these are
formalized as laws. Others form the norms and moral standards that we are taught to follow.
Although many social rules are arbitrary to some extent, when people fail to follow the
conventional social and moral rules of their cultural group we may consider their behaviour
abnormal.

5. Social Discomfort: When someone violates a social rule, those around him or her may
experience a sense of discomfort or unease.

6. Irrationality and Unpredictability: We expect people to behave in certain ways, however

there is a point at which we are likely to consider a given unorthodox behaviour abnormal.
The disordered speech and the disorganized behaviour of patients with schizophrenia are
often irrational. Such behaviours are also a hallmark of the manic phases of bipolar disorder.
Perhaps the most important factor, however, is our evaluation of whether the person can
control his or her behaviour.

7. Dangerousness: It seems quite reasonable to think that someone who is a danger to

himself or herself or to another person must be psychologically abnormal But, as with all of
the other elements of abnormality, if we rely only on dangerousness as our sole feature of
abnormality, conversely, we cannot assume that someone diagnosed with a mental disorder
must be dangerous. Although mentally ill people do commit serious crimes, serious crimes
are also committed every day by people who have no signs of mental disorder. Indeed,
research suggests that in people with mental illness, dangerousness is more the exception than
it is the rule (Corrigan & Watson, 2005).

 Psychological Disorders : An Overview 

A psychological disorder is a condition which can be characterized by a sense of abnormal
thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Psychopathology is the study of such psychological
disorders, which includes the study of their symptoms, aetiology, and treatment.
Psychopathology can also be associated with the manifestation of a psychological disorder
and important aspect mental health professionals need to agree is what behaviours, feelings
and thoughts are truly considered abnormal, indicating the presence of psychopathology. 

Psychological disorders are a disfunction within the individual that is associated with a sense
of distress or impairment in the functioning of person, which does not align with typical
cultural norms. Some behaviour patterns and inert experiences can be labelled as abnormal
with ease and can be classified as significance of psychological disturbance. For instance,
someone who claims to hear demonic voices exhibits abnormal inert behaviours which most
would regard as abnormal but if a person feels nervous when speaking to someone of the
opposite gender, although they could be irregular, are considered normal behaviours.
Psychologists work towards the separation of disorders from inner experiences and
behaviours that are purely situational, idiosyncratic, or unconventional.  A psychological
disorder is a syndrome characterised by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s
cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological,
biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning. 
Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress or disability in social,
occupational, or other important activities. An expectable or culturally approved response to a
common stressor or loss, such as the death of a loved one, is not a mental disorder. Socially
deviant behaviour (e.g., political, religious, or sexual) and conflicts that are primarily
between the individual and society are not mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict
results from a dysfunction in the individual, as described above. 

History
The ancient Greek philosophers such as Hippocrates, Socrates and Plato developed an
organismic approach that viewed disturbed behaviour as arising out of conflicts between
emotion and reason. Galen pointed out that the temperament is affected by imbalance in four
humours, similar to the tridoshas.

The Middle Ages saw an increasing dependence on superstition and demonology. People
with mental problems were associated with demons. St. Augustine wrote about feelings,
mental anguish and conflict faced by the people with disorders which further laid the
groundwork for modern psychodynamic theories.

The Renaissance Period is marked by an increased focus on humanism and curiosity about
behaviour. Johann Weyer believed disturbed interpersonal relationships were the primary
cause of psychic disorders. He noted that mentally disturbed required medical and not
theological treatment.

The Age of Reason and Enlightenment (17th /18th centuries) was marked by the growth of
scientific methods that replaced faith and dogma. This contributed to the Reform movement
which increased compassion for those suffering from disorders. This period saw a reform of
asylums, deinstitutionalization, and emphasized community care.

In the Recent years, there has been a convergence of approaches, resulting in an interactional
biopsychosocial approach.
Types of Disorder

DISORDER DESCRIPTION SUB-TYPE

Neurodevelopmental The neurodevelopmental -Intellectual Developmental

Disorders disorders are a group of Disorder
conditions with onset in the -Communication Disorders
developmental period. The -Autism Spectrum Disorder
disorders typically manifest -ADHD
early in development, often -Specific Learning Disorder
before the child enters grade -Motor Disorders
school, and are characterized
by developmental deficits
that produce impairments of
personal, social, academic, or
occupational functioning. The
range of developmental
deficits varies from very
specific limitations of
learning or control of
executive functions to global
impairments of social skills
or intelligence.

Schizophrenia Schizophrenia spectrum and -Delusional Disorder

Spectrum and Other other psychotic disorders - Brief Psychotic Disorder
Psychotic Disorders include schizophrenia, other -Schizophreniform Disorder
psychotic disorders, and -Schizophrenia
schizotypal (personality) -Schizoaffective Disorder
disorder. They are defined by -Substance/Medication-Induced
abnormalities in one or more Psychotic Disorder
of the tollowing five -Psychotic Disorder due to
 domains: delusions, another Medical Condition
hallucinations, disorganized -Catatonia
thinking (speech), grossly -Catatonic Disorder due to
disorganized or abnormal another Medical Condition
motor behavior (including
catatonia), and negative
symptoms.

Bipolar and Related Bipolar and related disorders -Bipolar I Disorder

Disorders are separated from the -Bipolar II Disorder 
depressive disorders in DSM- -Cyclothymic Disorder
5 and placed between the -Substance/Medication-Induced
chapters on schizophrenia Bipolar and Related Disorder
spectrum and other psychotic -Bipolar and Related Disorder
disorders and depressive due to another medical condition
disorders in recognition of
their place as a bridge
between the two diagnostic
classes in terms of
symptomatology, family
history, and genetics. The
bipolar I disorder criteria
represent the modern
understanding of the classic
manic-depressive disorder or
affective psychosis. Bipolar II
disorder, requiring the
lifetime experience of at least
one episode of major
depression and at least one
hypomanic episode, is no
longer thought to be a
"milder" condition
 than bipolar I disorder.
Depressive Disorders "Depressive Disorders" has -Disruptive Mood Dysregulation
been separated from the Disorder
chapter of "Bipolar and -Major Depressive Disorder
Related Disorders." The -Persistent Depressive Disorder
common feature of all of -Premenstrual Dysphoric
these disorders is the Disorder
presence of sad, empty, or -Substance/Medication-Induced
irritable mood, accompanied Depressive Disorder
by somatic and cognitive -Depressive Disorder due to
changes that significantly another medical condition
affect the individual's
capacity to function. What
differs among them are issues
of duration, timing, or
presumed etiology.

Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders include -Separation Anxiety Disorder

disorders that share features -Selective Mutism
of excessive fear and anxiety -Specific Phobia
and related behavioral -Social Anxiety Disorder
disturbances. Fear is the -Panic Disorder
emotional response to real or -Panic Attack Specifier
perceived imminent threat, -Agoraphobia
whereas anxiety is -Generalized Anxiety Disorder
anticipation of future threat. -Substance/Medication-Induced
Obviously, these Anxiety Disorder
two states overlap, but they -Anxiety Disorder due to another
also differ, with fear more medical condition
often associated with surges
of autonomic arousal
necessary for fight or flight,
thoughts of immediate
 danger, and escape behaviors,
and anxiety more often
associated with muscle
tension and vigilance in
preparation for future danger
and cautious or avoidant
behaviors.

Obsessive- OCD is characterized by the -Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Compulsive and presence of obsessions and/or -Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Related Disorders compulsions. Obsessions are -Hoarding Disorder
recurrent and persistent -Trichotillomania(Hair-Pulling
thoughts, urges, or images Disorder)
that are experienced as -Excoriation(Skin-Picking)
intrusive and unwanted, Disorder
whereas compulsions are -Substance/Medication-Induced
repetitive behaviors or mental Obsessive-Compulsive and
acts that an individual feels Related Disorder
driven to perform in response -Obsessive-Compulsive and
to an obsession or according Related Disorder due to medical
to rules that must be applied condition
rigidly. Some other
obsessive-compulsive and
related disorders are also
characterized by
preoccupations and by
repetitive behaviors or mental
acts in response to the
preoccupations. Other
obsessive-compulsive and
related disorders are
characterized primarily by
recurrent body-focused
 repetitive behaviors (e.g., hair
pulling, skin picking) and
repeated attempts to decrease
or stop the behaviors.

Trauma and Stressor Trauma- and stressor-related -Reactive Attachment Disorder

Related Disorders disorders include disorders in -Disinhibited Social Engagement
which exposure to Disorder
a traumatic or stressful event -Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
is listed explicitly as a -Acute Stress Disorder
diagnostic criterion. -Adjustment Disorder
Psychological distress -Other Specified Trauma and
following exposure to a Stressor-Related Disorder
traumatic or stressful event is
quite variable. In some cases,
symptoms can be well
understood within an anxiety-
or fear-based Context. It is
clear, however, that many
individuals who have been
exposed to a traumatic or
stressful event exhibit a
phenotype in which, rather
than anxiety- or fear-based
symptoms, the most
prominent clinical
characteristics are anhedonia
and dysphoric symptoms,
externalizing angry and
aggressive symptoms, or
dissociative symptoms.

Dissociative Disorder Dissociative disorders are -Dissociative Identity Disorder

 characterized by a disruption -Dissociative Amnesia
of and /or discontinuity -Depersonalization/Derealization
in the normal integration of Disorder
consciousness, memory,
identity, emotion, perception,
body
representation, motor control,
and behavior. Dissociative
symptoms can potentially
disrupt every area of
psychological functioning. 

Somatic Symptom and Individuals with disorders -Somatic Symptom Disorder

Related Disorders  with prominent somatic -Illness Anxiety Disorder
symptoms are commonly -Conversion Disorder
encountered in primary care -Factitious Disorder 
and other medical settings but
are less commonly
encountered in psychiatric
and other mental health
settings. 

Feeding and Eating They are characterized by a -Pica

Disorders persistent disturbance of -Rumination Disorder
eating or eating-related -Avoidant/ Restrictive Food
behavior that results in the Intake Disorder
altered consumption or -Anorexia Nervosa
absorption of food and that -Bulimia Nervosa
significantly impairs physical -Binge-Eating Disorder 
health or psychosocial
functioning. Diagnostic
criteria are provided for pica,
 rumination disorder,
avoidant/restrictive food
intake disorder, anorexia
nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and
binge-eating disorder. 

Elimination Disorders They involve the -Enuresis

inappropriate elimination of -Encopresis
urine or faeces and are
usually first diagnosed in
childhood or adolescence.
This group of disorders in
cludes enuresis, the repeated
voiding of urine into
inappropriate places, and
encopresis, the repeated
passage of feces into
inappropriate places. 

Sleep-Wake disorders  Individuals with these -Insomnia Disorder

disorders typically present -Hypersomnolence Disorder
with sleep-wake complaints -Narcolepsy
of dissatisfaction regarding -Breathing-Related Sleep
the quality, timing, and Disorder
amount of sleep. Resulting -Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake
daytime distress and Disorders 
impairment are core features -Parasomnias
shared by all of these sleep- -Nightmare Disorder 
wake disorders.  -Restless Legs Syndrome
-Substance/Medication-Induced
Sleep Disorder
Sexual Dysfunctions Sexual dysfunctions are a -Delayed Ejaculation
heterogeneous group of -Erectile Disorder
disorders that are typically -Female Orgasmic Disorder
characterized by a clinically -Female Sexual Interest/Arousal
significant disturbance in a Disorder
person's ability to respond -Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration
sexually or to experience Disorder
sexual pleasure. An -Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire
individual may have several Disorder
sexual dysfunctions at the -Premature (Early) Ejaculation
same time. In such cases, all -Substance/Medication-Induced
of the dysfunctions should be Sexual Dysfunction 
diagnosed. 

Gender Dysphoria 
Gender dysphoria refers to
the distress that may
accompany the incongruence
between one's experienced or
expressed gender and one's
assigned gender. Although
not all individuals will
experience distress as a result
of such incongruence, many
are distressed if the desired
physical interventions by
means of hormones and/or
surgery are not available. 

Disruptive, Impulse-
 These problems are -Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Control, and Conduct
manifested in behaviors that -Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Disorders  
violate the rights of others -Conduct Disorder
(e.g., aggression, destruction -Pyromania
of property) and/or that bring -Kleptomania
the individual into significant
conflict with societal norms
or authority figures. The
underlying causes of the
problems in the self-control
of emotions and behaviors
can vary greatly across the
disorders.

Substance-Related and
All drugs that are taken in -Substance Use Disorders
Addictive Disorder
excess have in common direct -Substance-Induced Disorders
activation of the brain reward -Alchol-Related Disorders
system, which is involved in -Caffine-Related Disorders
the reinforcement of -Cannabis-Related Disorders
behaviors and the pro duction -Hallucinogen-Related Disorders
of memories. They produce -Hallucinogen Persisting
such an intense activation of -Perception Disorder
the reward system that -Inhalant-Related Disorders
normal activities may be -Opioid-Related Disorders
neglected. Instead of -Sedative, Hypnotic or
achieving reward system Anxiolytic-Related Disorders
activation through adaptive -Stimulant-Related Disorders
behaviors, drugs of abuse
directly activate the reward
pathways. The
pharmacological mechanisms
by which each class of drugs
 produces reward are different,
but the drugs typically
activate the system and
produce feelings of pleasure,
often referred to as a ''high."  

Neurocognitive
The NCD category encamp -Delirium
Disorders 
passes the group of disorders -Mild Neurocognitive Disorder
in which the primary clinical -Major or Mild Neurocognitive
deficit is in cognitive -Disorder Due to Alzheimer’s
function, and that are Disease
acquired rather than -Major or Mild Frontotemporal
developmental. Although Neurocognitive Disorder
cognitive deficits are present -Major or Mild Neurocognitive
in many if not all mental -Disorder With Lewy Bodies 
disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, -Major or Mild Vascular
bipolar disorders), only Neurocognitive Disorder 
disorders whose core features -Major or Mild Neurocognitive
are cognitive are included in Disorder Due to Traumatic Brain
the NCD category. The Injury 
NCDs are those in which -Substance/Medication-Induced
impaired cognition has not Major or Mild Neurocognitive
been present since birth or Disorder
very early life, and thus -Major or Mild Neurocognitive
represents a decline from a Disorder Due to HIV Infection 
previously attained level of -Major or Mild Neurocognitive
functioning.  Disorder Due to Prion Disease
-Major or Mild Neurocognitive
-Disorder Due to Parkinson’s
Disease 
-Major or Mild Neurocognitive
Disorder Due to Huntington’s
 Disease
-Major or Mild Neurocognitive
Disorder Due to Another Medical
Condition
-Major or Mild Neurocognitive
Disorder Due to Multiple
Etiologies 

Personality Disorders -Paranoid Personality Disorder

A personality disorder is an
enduring pattern of inner -Schizoid Personality Disorder
experience and behavior that
deviates markedly from the -Antisocial Personality Disorder
expectations of the
-Borderline Personality Disorder
individual's culture, is
pervasive and inflexible, has -Histrionic Personality Disorder
an onset in adolescence or
-Narcissistic Personality Disorder
early adulthood, is stable over
time, and leads to distress or -Avoidant Personality Disorder
impairment.
-Dependent Personality Disorder

-Obsessive-Compulsive
Personality Disorder

-Personality change due to

another medical condition

-Other specified personaity

disorder and unspecified
personality disorder

Paraphilic Disorders -Voyeuristic Disorder

These disorders have
traditionally been selected for -Exhibitionistic Disorder
specific listing and
 assignment of explicit
-Frotteuristic Disorder
diagnostic criteria in DSM for
two main reasons: they are -Sexual Masochism Disorder
relatively common, in
relation to other paraphilic -Sexual Sadism Disorder
disorders, and some of them
-Pedophilic Disorder
entail actions for their
satisfaction -Fetishistic Disorder
that, because of their
-Transvestic Disorder
noxiousness or potential harm
to others, are classed as
criminal of tenses. The eight
listed disorders do not
exhaust the list of possible
paraphilic disorders.
Many dozens of distinct
paraphilias have been
identified and named, and
almost any of them could, by
virtue of its negative
consequences for the
individual or for others, rise
to the level of a paraphilic
disorder. 

Other Mental -Other Specified Mental disorder

This residual category applies
Disorders due to another medical condition
to presentations in which
symptoms characteristic of a -Unspecified Mental disorder due
mental disorder that cause to another medical condition
clinically significant distress
or impairment in social, -Other specified Mental disorder
occupational, or other
-Unspecified Mental Disorder
important areas of
 functioning predominate but
do not meet the full criteria
for any other mental dis-
order in DSM-5. For other
specified and unspecified
mental disorders due to
another medical condition, it
must be established that the
disturbance is caused by the
physiological effects of
another medical condition.

Medication-Induced -Neuroleptic-Induced
Medication-Induced
Movement Disorders Parkinsonism Other Medication-
movement disorders are
and Other Adverse Induced Parkinsonism
included in Section I because
Effects of Medication
of -Neuroleptic Malignant
their frequent importance in Syndrome
1) the management by
medication of mental -Medication-Induced Acute
disorders or other medical Dystonia
conditions and 2) the
-Medication-Induced Acute
differential diagnosis of
Akathisia
mental disorders (e.g.,
anxiety disorder versus -Tardive Dyskinesia
neuroleptic-induced
-Tardive Dystonia -Tardive
akathisia; malignant catatonia
Akathisia
versus neuroleptic
malignant syndrome). -Medication-Induced Postural
Although these movement Tremor
disorders are labeled
-Antidepressant Discontinuation
"medication induced," it is
Syndrome
often difficult to establish the
causal relationship between
 medication expo-
sure and the development of
the movement disorder,
especially because some of
these movement disorders
also occur in the absence of
medication exposure.

Other Conditons that - Relational problems

This discussion covers other
may be a focus of
conditions and problems that - Adult maltreatment and neglect
Clinical Attention
may be a focus of clinical problems
attention or that may
otherwise affect the - Educational and occupational
diagnosis, course, prognosis, problems
or treatment of a patient's
- Problems related to social
mental disorder. These
environment 
conditions are presented with
their corresponding codes - Problems related to crime or
from ICD-9-CM (usually V interaction with the legal system
codes) and ICD-10-CM
- Problems related to other
(usually Z codes). A
psychosocial, personal, and
condition or problem may be
environmental circumstances
coded if it is a reason for the
current visit or helps to
explain the need for a test,
procedure, or treatment.

Classification system 
Emil Kraepelin (1856–1926), a German psychiatrist, played a dominant role in the early
development of the classification system. Kraepelin noted that certain symptom patterns
occurred together regularly enough to be regarded as specific types of mental disease. There
are two types of classification system. They are -
History of DSM
The origins of the DSM starts in the 1800s, when first official attempts were made to try to
gather information about mental health in the United States. Government officials tried to
record the frequency of “idiocy/insanity” in the 1840 census. By the late 1800s, mental health
categories included mania, melancholia, monomania, paresis, dementia, dipsomania, and
epilepsy.

In 1921, the American Medico–Psychological Association became what is now known as the
American Psychiatric Association (APA), and developed the American Medical
Association’s Standard Classified Nomenclature of Disease. This early classification system
was designed for diagnosing inpatients with severe psychiatric and neurological disorders.
The DSM-I owes it origins to post-war America. Shortly after, the APA developed a variant
of the ICD–6 that was published in 1952, the first edition of the DSM (DSM-I). The DSM-I
became the first official manual and glossary of mental disorders with a focus on clinical use.

The DSM–II, published in 1968, was similar to DSM-I with its basis in psychoanalytic
theory, but eliminated the term “reaction.” Even though the DSM II was published in more
than half a century ago, the following excerpt is sage advice even (and especially) today.

The DSM–III, published in 1980, initiated the start of “modern psychiatric diagnosis.” Unlike
the DSM-II, it took an agnostic approach to the etiology (causes) of mental disorders and
instead focused on explicit diagnostic criteria.

The DSM–IV, published in 1994, continued to build on the etiology-agnostic framework of

the DSM-III. The APA working groups attempted to create a firm empirical basis for making
modifications to existing criteria. At the same time, the authors of the DSM–IV also
attempted to harmonize the diagnostic criteria with the 10th edition of the ICD (ICD-10).
Work on the DSM-5 began in 2000, with its publication finally occurring in 2013. One of the
initial goals of the DSM-5 was to finally include biomarkers in its diagnostic criteria.
However, this did not become a reality. The DSM-5 was in general criticized for expanding
diagnostic criteria and labels.
The DSM-5-TR development effort started in Spring 2019 and involved more than 200
experts, the majority of whom were involved in the development of DSM-5. These experts
were given the task of conducting literature reviews covering the past nine years and
reviewing the text to identify out-of-date material. Four cross-cutting review groups (Culture,
Sex and Gender, Suicide, and Forensic) reviewed all the chapters, focusing on material
involving their specific expertise. The text was also reviewed by a Work Group on
Ethnoracial Equity and Inclusion to ensure appropriate attention to risk factors such as racism
and discrimination and the use of non-stigmatizing language. Although the scope of the text
revision did not include conceptual changes to the criteria sets, some necessary clarifications
to certain diagnostic criteria were reviewed and approved by the DSM Steering Committee,
as well as the APA Assembly and Board of Trustees. DSM-5-TR was published in March
2022.

History of ICD
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is a globally used diagnostic tool for
epidemiology, health management and clinical purposes. The ICD is maintained by the
World Health Organization (WHO), which is the directing and coordinating authority for
health within the United Nations System. The ICD is originally designed as a health care
classification system, providing a system of diagnostic codes for classifying diseases,
including nuanced classifications of a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings,
complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or disease. This system is
designed to map health conditions to corresponding generic categories together with specific
variations, assigning for these a designated code, up to six characters long. Thus, major
categories are designed to include a set of similar disease. ICD is revised periodically and is
currently in its 11th revision. The ICD-11, as it is therefore known, was accepted by WHO's
World Health Assembly (WHA) on 25 May 2019 and officially came into effect on 1 January
2022. However, widespread adoption will likely take some time: the US only adopted ICD-
10 in 2015, as of 2018 some countries still using ICD-9 and even ICD-8. The version for
preparation of approval at the WHA was released on 18 June 2018.
The ICD-11 is a large ontology consisting of about 85,000 entities, also called classes or
nodes. An entity can be anything that is relevant to health care. It usually represents a disease
or a pathogen, but it can also be an isolated symptom or (developmental) anomaly of the
body. There are also classes for reasons for contact with health services, social circumstances
of the patient, and external causes of injury or death. The ICD-11 is part of the WHO-FIC, a
family of medical classifications. The WHO-FIC contains the Foundation Component, which
comprises all entities of all classifications.
  
Difference between ICD And DSM
The ICD is a core function of the World Health Organization, spelled out in its constitution
and ratified by all 193 WHO member countries. The ICD has existed for more than a century,
and became WHO's responsibility when it was founded in 1948 as an agency of the United
Nations.

"The American Psychiatric Association can really be credited with a revolution in psychiatric
nosology with the publication of DSM-III by introducing a descriptive nosological system
based on co-occurring clusters of symptoms.

ICD - 11 DSM 5 (TR)

APPROVING BODY W.H.O, The ICD is A.P.A, The DSM is

approved bt the World approved by the assembly of
health assembly, composed the American Psychiatric
of health ministers of all 193 Association, a group much
WHO member countries. like APA’s council of
representatives.

PURPOSE ICD is used for classifying DSM is used particularly by

 all illness and is used by psychiatrists as it represents
many health practitioners. code set for all mental
disorders

ACCURACY Although it promptly With clinical significance

assists in data collection, It criteria and specificity in
is considered to be less the description, it is
accurate considered to be far more
accurate

RELIABILITY ICD systems are considered As operational criteria were

to be less reliable because introduced, the system is
they reject diagnostic criteria considered more reliable in
without independent a statistical context
validation. This leads to
disagreements in diagnosis

TARGET POPULATION Has global authorship Only focuses on North

America

SYMPTOM DURATION >> 2 Days No such criteria

CRITERIA ICD provides guidance and DSM provides operational
diagnostic criteria without criteria which distinct
including operational criteria definitions for each
condition

SCOPE Open for public Narrow scope, The primary

submissions, ICD's constituency of the DSM is
development is global, U.S. psychiatrists.
multidisciplinary and
multilingual.
 CONTENTS ICD covers all health DSM covers only mental
conditions. disorders.

Sources – APA, A very well mind, Outsouce2india 

References

Butcher, J.N., Hooley, J.M., Mineka, S. and Dwivedi, C.B. (2017).Abnormal Psychology
(16th ed). India : Pearson

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Comer, R.J. (2016) Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology
(8 th Ed) USA: Worth Publishers

Sue, D., Sue, D.W., & Sue, S. (2010). Understanding Abnormal Behaviour (9 th Ed). USA:
Wadsworth.