Exploring Clinical Significance

As a gateway to support for those who experience significant distress or
impairment as a result of cognitive, affective, developmental, social,
environmental, or other personal/interpersonal challenges, mental disorder
diagnosis is a common practice in mental health professions. In order to practice
effectively and ethically, diagnosticians should develop a keen understanding of
the diagnostic guidelines they follow in research and practice. The Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) is a dominant diagnostic
classification used throughout the world. Because it impacts innumerable lives in
significant ways, the DSM should be used judiciously by diagnosticians. By
understanding the history and development of the DSM within a clinical
backdrop, diagnosticians can better understand the fundamental strengths and
limitations of this hegemonic manual. In addition, understanding the history and
development of specific mental disorders can help diagnosticians better
understand the conditions they diagnose and facilitate a more rigorous and careful
diagnostic process. This Book uses paper format, where each chapter stands as its
own study. Using a paper Book format, dissemination via peer-reviewed journals
is more easily facilitated so that the papers may be available to a wide body
of readership in order to promote more judicious use of the DSM and
mental disorder diagnosis. Variations of four chapters in this paper-format
dissertation have been published in peer-reviewed journals, and a fifth has been
accepted and is in press. In addition to a review of the historical developments
of the DSM, I review the historical developments of autism and
Asperger's Disorder