Glossary of Terms
For Experts
- Diagnosis is the process of explaining a person’s state of mental or physical health through examination and consideration of various types of evidence.
- Diagnosis is also a conclusion made about the nature of a health condition, illness, or disorder.
- Diagnostic criteria for making the diagnosis of a mental disorder include those listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD).
- The word diagnosis refers broadly to any justifiable conclusion made by a regulated health professional within their scope of practice, not just the formulations presented in the DSM or ICD.
- A diagnosis of a mental health condition should not be made without considering the differential diagnoses of physical health conditions that could alternatively explain the person’s state of health. Furthermore, physical health disorders also accompany mental disorders.
For General Public
- An explanation of a person’s mental or physical health made by a qualified health professional within their scope of practice.
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) provide diagnostic criteria for mental disorders.
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