An inability-based account of psychiatric harm

Area of Science:

• Philosophy of Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Conceptual Engineering

Background:

• Harm is a crucial but ill-defined component of mental disorder concepts.
• Existing definitions in manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) lack clarity.
• Conceptual engineering offers a method to refine abstract concepts for practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explicate the concept of psychiatric harm using conceptual engineering.
• To develop a definition of psychiatric harm that is normatively grounded and respects individual diversity.
• To propose a framework for operationalizing psychiatric harm, potentially utilizing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Main Methods:

• Conceptual engineering to refine the definition of psychiatric harm.
• Normative analysis grounding the definition in pluralism and democratic values.
• Rejection of definitions based on social consensus, rationalist exclusions, or essentialist ideals.

Main Results:

• Psychiatric harm is defined as psychological inabilities obstructing the formation or pursuit of admissible conceptions of the good life.
• The proposed definition is rooted in normative pluralism and democratic values, respecting individual diversity.
• The framework suggests potential operationalization through methodologies like the ICF.

Conclusions:

• A clearer, normatively grounded definition of psychiatric harm is necessary for conceptual clarity in mental disorder.
• The proposed framework offers a more inclusive and diverse approach to understanding psychiatric harm.
• The ICF provides a potential model for operationalizing this refined concept in clinical and research settings.