AO3 of Diagnosis of SZ

• Strength: Inter-rater reliability

  • multiple people, agreed criteria, observe same behaviour separately, compare results
  • 180 people were interviewed in pairs
  • when DSM-5 was used +.97 interrater reliability was found
• Weakness: Reliability means consistency

  • prev. editions of the DSM didn't always require that you needed to show symptoms for at least 6 months
  • rosenhan sane in insane places
  • means that there hasn't always been adequate diagnosis
  • people may not get good treatment if the symptoms are not accurate
  • dangerous as 10% of 1/3 who are diagnosed commit suicide
• Weakness: Gender bias in diagnosis

  • women could not get diagnosed and not get much needed treatment
  • psychiatrists were asked to diagnose the same two patients
  • male 56% said he had SZ
  • female 20% said she had SZ
  • women having better interpersonal functioning may bias practitioners
• Weakness: Cultural bias in diagnosis

  • religious experiences vs cultural beliefs
  • Copeland et al
  • 134 US, and 194 UK psychiatrists had a patient described to them
  • 69% of US said SZ and 2% of UK said SZ