General public definition
- A diagnosis is an explanation, made by a qualified health care professional within their scope of practice, of an individual’s mental or physical health condition or conditions.
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) provide diagnostic criteria for mental disorders.
Academic definition
- A diagnosis is the conclusion of a process to determine the nature of a disease, disorder, or health condition, including distinguishing it from other possible diseases, disorders, or health conditions.
- A diagnosis refers to the justifiable conclusion made by a regulated health care professional within their scope of practice, usually using the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
- The most widely accepted criteria for making diagnoses of mental disorders are those listed in the DSM or the ICD.
- In psychiatry and psychology, a diagnosis is the process of explaining a person’s state of mental health by conducting an examination of the relevant history and current mental and physical status of the person, and from this information, drawing one or more conclusions about the nature of the health condition(s) or disease(s).
- A diagnosis of a mental disorder should not be made without considering a differential diagnosis of physical disorders and other mental disorders that could explain the person’s current state of health. Physical disorders may occur concurrently with mental disorders.
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