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Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder01:29

Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder

The development of psychological disorders, which are characterized by deviant, maladaptive, and personally distressing behaviors, has been explored through several theoretical approaches.
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Defining mental disorder. Exploring the 'natural function' approach.

Somogy Varga1

  • 1Institute of Cognitive Science University of Osnabrueck, Germany. varga@hum.ku.dk

Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine : PEHM
|January 25, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Defining mental disorder objectively is challenging. This study examines natural function objectivism, concluding it falls short but doesn't preclude a reliable definition of mental disorder.

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Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Psychiatry
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Medical Ethics

Background:

  • The need for a value-free definition of mental disorder is driven by socio-political factors.
  • Objectivist approaches, particularly natural function objectivism, aim to define mental disorder without subjective value judgments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore natural function objectivism as a value-free approach to defining mental disorder.
  • To critically analyze prominent theories within natural function objectivism.
  • To assess the viability of achieving an objective definition of mental disorder.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of Christopher Boorse's biostatistical account of natural function.
  • Investigation of Jerome Wakefield's hybrid naturalism approach to natural functions.
  • Examination of critiques challenging the definition of mental disorder.

Main Results:

  • Natural function objectivism, including biostatistical and hybrid naturalism models, does not provide a sufficiently reliable framework for defining mental disorder.
  • Specific proposals question the feasibility of defining mental disorder altogether.

Conclusions:

  • While current natural function objectivism accounts are inadequate for a reliable definition of mental disorder, the possibility of achieving such a definition remains open.
  • Further research is needed to explore alternative or refined objectivist approaches to mental disorder definition.