The DSM-IV is an important tool for clinicians. It provides a standard for diagnoses to be standardized across psychology; however, the DSM-IV is not as precise for diagnosing personality disorders as some psychologists would like.
Give an example of each of the following problems identified in your readings and explain how these problems could negatively affect a diagnosis.
1. Some criteria used for reaching a diagnosis cannot be observed directly.
2. Personality disorders can be similar to each other.
3. People with different personalities can be given the same diagnosis
4. Do you think that personality disorders are true mental illnesses? Why or why not?