[Modification of psychiatric diagnostic schemata by implicit nosological theories]

Diagnostic schemes of psychiatrists are explained by two components, a general explicit nosological theory and an individual implicit theory. An experimental study is devoted to the analysis of diagnostic schemes in three groups with different degrees of internalization of explicit nosological theory: (1) a non-psychiatrist group without nosological knowledge (2) a non-psychiatrist group, who obtained nosological knowledge in a 40-min session, and (3) a group of psychiatrists. Four structural components of diagnostic schemes were analyzed: stability, complexity, relevance for therapy of the individual diagnostic scheme, and interindividual homogeneity within groups. The diagnostic schemes of psychiatrists showed no more stability and relevance for therapy than those of group (2), whereas interindividual homogeneity as well as complexity were higher. Results indicate that the diagnostic schemes of psychiatrists are determined to a great extent by individual implicit theories.