Psycho-diagnosis
Chapter 1 – Intellectual and Neuropsychological Assessments
Chapter 2 – DSM History
Slide 15
Loss of Information About the Person:
When a person is diagnosed with a mental health disorder using a categorical
classification, the complexity of the individual's experience is often reduced to a
simple label or category. This oversimplification can result in loss of important
personal context such as the person’s history, personality, or life circumstances, which
may influence the treatment or support they need.
For example, two people diagnosed with depression may have very different life
experiences, coping mechanisms, and triggers, but the DSM treats them as if they have
the same condition, potentially overlooking the unique factors affecting their lives.
Stigmatizing:
A diagnosis in a categorical system can lead to stigma because individuals are labeled
with a specific disorder. This label can affect how others perceive them, and may lead to
feelings of shame, embarrassment, or discrimination.
For instance, someone diagnosed with schizophrenia may face social stigma, even
though the severity and type of symptoms can vary widely among individuals with the
same diagnosis.
Additionally, people may internalize the label, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy
where they begin to identify with the diagnosis and limit their potential
But in dimensional model the Focus is on Severity: Instead of saying someone has
"depression," for instance, the dimensional model would indicate that someone has "mild,"
"moderate," or "severe" depression. This acknowledges that everyone can experience a range of
symptoms at different times and that mental health is not a binary state.
Chapter 3 – Schizophrenia
Chapter 4 – Mood Disorders
Slide 32
Freud – Depression as Anger Turned Inward
Theory: Psychoanalytic (psychodynamic)
Freud believed that depression stems from unresolved grief or loss, especially when
someone is ambivalently attached to the lost person.
If a person feels both love and anger toward someone they lost (e.g., a parent), they turn
that anger inward toward themselves.
This self-directed anger leads to feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and sadness, which are
core symptoms of depression.
Example: If a child loses a parent they had mixed feelings about, they might unconsciously
blame themselves, which could later manifest as depression.
🔸 Behaviorists – Depression as Learned through Conditioning
Theory: Behavioral
Behaviorists view depression as a result of maladaptive learning, especially through
classical and operant conditioning.
Key idea: Depression arises when people stop receiving reinforcement (rewards) for
their behavior. This leads to withdrawal, reduced activity, and further lack of
reinforcement.
Example: If someone loses their job (loss of reinforcement), they may become inactive.
Inactivity leads to fewer social contacts, which leads to more sadness, forming a vicious cycle.
🔸 Beck – Cognitive Model of Depression
Theory: Cognitive (Aaron Beck)
Beck proposed that depression is caused by negative thought patterns or cognitive
distortions.
He introduced the idea of the "negative cognitive triad":
o Negative view of self ("I'm worthless")
o Negative view of the world ("Everyone is against me")
o Negative view of the future ("Things will never get better")
These thoughts are often automatic and reinforce feelings of hopelessness and sadness.
Example: After a breakup, someone may automatically think, “I’m unlovable,” “No one will
ever care about me,” “My future is ruined.”
Slide 35
Reformulated Helplessness Theory
Based on learned helplessness but updated.
Suggests that if a person has a pessimistic attributional style (i.e., they explain bad
events as:
o Internal – "It's my fault"
o Stable – "It will always be this way"
o Global – "It affects everything in my life"), then they are more vulnerable
(diathesis) to developing depression when bad things happen.
✅ Example: Someone fails a test and thinks, “I’m stupid (internal), I’ll always fail (stable), and
I’m a failure at everything (global).” → This mindset increases risk of depression.
🔸 Hopelessness Theory
Builds on the reformulated helplessness theory.
Says that just having a pessimistic style isn’t enough.
You also need:
o Negative life events, and
o A feeling of hopelessness (i.e., belief that nothing will improve).
Only when hopelessness is present do negative thoughts and events actually cause
depression.
✅ Example: Same test failure. If the person feels hopeless about their ability to succeed in the
future, they're more likely to become depressed.
🔸 Excessive Rumination as a Diathesis
Rumination means repetitive, negative thinking about problems and feelings.
If someone tends to overthink and dwell on negative emotions, it can act as a diathesis
(a vulnerability) for depression, especially when stress or loss occurs.
✅ Example: After a breakup, someone keeps thinking, “Why did this happen? What’s wrong
with me?” → They ruminate, which deepens and prolongs their depression.
Chapter 5 – DAP
Slide 26
Koppitz’s Three Key Questions:
1. What does the child draw?
“A person has significant value.”
The human figure is chosen for a reason—it’s meaningful.
This helps tap into the child’s sense of identity and relational world.
2. How does the child draw?
“It represents self-image.”
The drawing’s details, size, proportions, and style reflect how the child sees themselves or
others.
o For example, a tiny figure might suggest low self-esteem.
o Overemphasized muscles or weapons could imply aggression or a desire for power.
3. Why does the child draw?
“Expression of emotions.”
The DAP is a projective test, so the drawing can reveal underlying emotional states.
o E.g., omitted body parts might indicate anxiety or trauma
Chapter 6 – BG
Slide 3
Breakdown:
"BG" = Bender Gestalt Test (short for Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test)
Visual-motor perception: This refers to how well a person can coordinate what they see
(visual perception) with how they move (motor skills). For example, copying a shape
accurately requires seeing it properly and controlling hand movements.
"Perceive as a whole": This means being able to understand the full picture, not just
isolated parts. It checks if a person can grasp the overall structure of what they’re seeing
and reproduce it meaningfully.
"Corresponding emotional development": The way someone draws or copies figures
can also give insights into their emotional maturity or disturbances. For instance,
distortions or disorganization in drawing may reflect anxiety, impulsivity, or
developmental delays.