Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T10:00:16.877Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Gender and cultural issues in psychiatric nosological classification systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2016

Tanya van de Water
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Sharain Suliman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Soraya Seedat*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
*
*Address for correspondence: Soraya Seedat, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa. (Email: sseedat@sun.ac.za)

Abstract

Much has changed since the two dominant mental health nosological systems, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), were first published in 1900 and 1952, respectively. Despite numerous modifications to stay up to date with scientific and cultural changes (eg, exclusion of homosexuality as a disorder) and to improve the cultural sensitivity of psychiatric diagnoses, the ICD and DSM have only recently renewed attempts at harmonization. Previous nosological iterations demonstrate the oscillation in the importance placed on the biological focus, highlighting the tension between a gender- and culture-free nosology (solely biological) and a contextually relevant understanding of mental illness. In light of the release of the DSM 5, future nosological systems, such as the ICD 11, scheduled for release in 2017, and the Research Development Criteria (RDoC), can learn from history and apply critiques. This article aims to critically consider gender and culture in previous editions of the ICD and DSM to inform forthcoming classifications.

Type
Review Articles
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Lewis-Fernández, R, Aggarwal, KN. Culture and psychiatric diagnosis. Adv Pscyhosom Med. 2013; 33: 1530.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Jackson, ED. Organizing madness: psychiatric nosology in historical perspective. Department of Psychology The University of Arkansas; 2003. Available at: http://mulnlockss.ddns.uark.edu/issues/v04/2003a11.pdf.Google Scholar
3. WHO. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behvaioural Disorders: Diagnostic Criteria for Research. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1993.Google Scholar
4. Narrow, WE, First, MB, Sirovatka, PJ, Regier, DA. Age and Gender Considerations in Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Research Agenda for DSM-V. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2007.Google Scholar
5. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Google Scholar
6. Canino, I, Canino, G, Arroyo, W. Cultural considerations for childhood disorders: how much was included in DSM-IV? Transcultural Psychiatry. 1998; 35(3): 343355.Google Scholar
7. Acton, G. Classification of psychopathology: goals and methods in an empirical approach. Theory & Psychology. 2005; 15(3): 373399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Hoenig, J. Nosology and statistical classification. Can J Psychiatry. 1981; 26(4): 240243.Google Scholar
9. Sharma, LS. A historical background of the development of nosology in psychiatry and psychology. Am Psychol. 1970; 25(3): 248253.Google Scholar
10. Mezzich, JE. The WPA International Guidelines for diagnostic assessment. World Psychiatry. 2002; 1(1): 3639.Google Scholar
11. Salloum, I, Vasiliu-Feltes, I. Diagnosing psychiatric disorders: the synchronization of DSM-5 and ICD-10. Psychiatric Times. 2013; 35.Google Scholar
12. Parker, G. Beyond major depression. Psychol Med. 2005; 35(4): 467474.Google Scholar
13. Van Praag, HM. Nosologomania: a disorder of psychiatry. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2000; 1(3): 151158.Google Scholar
14. Clark, LA, Watson, D, Reynolds, S. Diagnosis and classification of psychopathology: Challenges ato the current system and future directions. Annu Rev Psychol. 1995; 46: 121153.Google Scholar
15. Hyman, SE. Can neuroscience be integrated into the DSM-V? Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007; 8(9): 725732.Google Scholar
16. McHugh, PR. Striving for coherence: psychiatry’s efforts over classification. JAMA. 2005; 293(20): 25262528.Google Scholar
17. First, MB. Harmonisation of ICD–11 and DSM–V: opportunities and challenges. Br J Psychiatry. 2009; 195(5): 382390.Google Scholar
18. Sperry, L, Carlson, J, Sauerheber, JD, Sperry, J. Psychopathology and Psychotherapy: DSM-5 Diagnosis, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment, 3rd ed. New York: Routledge; 2013.Google Scholar
19. Clay, RA. The next DSM: a look at the major revisions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, due out next month. Monitor on Psychology. 2013; 44(4): 2627.Google Scholar
20. Wing, JK. International comparisons in the study of the functional psychoses. Br Med Bull. 1971; 27(1): 7781.Google Scholar
21. Szasz, TS. The myth of mental illness. American Psychologist. 1960; 15: 113118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22. American Psychiatric Association. Cultural Concepts in DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Google Scholar
23. Nel, JA. Towards the “good society”: healthcare provision for victims of hate crime from periphery to centre stage. PhD thesis, University of South Africa. 2007. Available at: http://asiphephe.org/modules/MDCatalogue/resources/157_97_towards_the_good_society_healthcare_provision_for.pdf.Google Scholar
24. Kirmayer, LJ. The place of culture in psychiatric nosology: Taijin kyofusho and DSM-III-R. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1991; 179(1): 1928.Google Scholar
25. Lewis‐Fernández, R, Hinton, DE, Laria, AJ. Culture and the anxiety disorders: recommendations for DSM‐V. Depress Anxiety. 2010; 27(2): 212229.Google Scholar
26. Shorter, E. A History of Psychiatry: From the Era of the Asylum to the Age of Prozac. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1997.Google Scholar
27. Rosenhan, DL. On being sane in insane places. Science. 1973; 179(4070): 250258.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28. Wilson, M. DSM-III and the transformation of American psychiatry: a history. Am J Psychiatry. 1993; 150(3): 399410.Google Scholar
29. WHO. International Classification of Diseases, 1975 Rev. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1977.Google Scholar
30. Jablensky, A. Karl Jaspers: psychiatrist, philosopher, humanist. Schizophr Bull. 2013; 39(2): 239241.Google Scholar
31. de Leon, J. Is psychiatry scientific? A letter to a 21st century psychiatry resident. Psychiatry Investig. 2013; 10(3): 205217.Google Scholar
32. Hartung, CM, Widiger, TA. Gender differences in the diagnosis of mental disorders: conclusions and controversies of the DSM-IV. Psychol Bull. 1998; 123(3): 260278.Google Scholar
33. American Psychiatric Association. The Organization of the DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Google Scholar
34. American Psychiatric Association. The People Behind DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Google Scholar
35. American Psychiatric Association. From Planning to Publication: Developing DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Google Scholar
36. Johnson, J, Stewart, DE. DSM-V: toward a gender sensitive approach to psychiatric diagnosis. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2010; 13(1): 1719.Google Scholar
37 Alarcón, RD, Becker, AE, Lewis-Fernández, R, et al. Issues for DSM-V: the role of culture in psychiatric diagnosis. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2009; 197(8): 559660.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38. Alarcón, RD. Culture, cultural factors and psychiatric diagnosis: review and projections. World Psychiatry. 2009; 8(3): 131139.Google Scholar
39. Kupfer, DJ, Regier, DA, Kuhl, EA. On the road to DSM-V and ICD-11. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2008; 258(Suppl 5): 26.Google Scholar
40. Casteel, B, Valora, J. DSM-5 Development Process Includes Emphasis on Gender and Cultural Sensitivity Consideration of How Gender, Race, and Ethnicity May Affect Diagnosis of Mental Illness. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2014.Google Scholar
41. Parry, W. Gender dysphoria: DSM-5 reflects shift in perspective on gender identity. Huffington Post. August 4, 2013. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/gender-dysphoria-dsm-5_n_3385287.html.Google Scholar
42. Garcia, B, Petrovich, A. Strengthening the DSM: Incorporating Resilience and Cutural Competence, 1st ed. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2011.Google Scholar
43. Bensimon, M, Solomon, Z, Horesh, D. The utility of Criterion A under chronic national terror. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2013; 50(2): 8183.Google ScholarPubMed
44. First, MB, Reed, GM, Hyman, SE, Saxena, S. The development of the ICD‐11 Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines for Mental and Behavioural Disorders. World Psychiatry. 2015; 14(1): 8290.Google Scholar
45. Reed, GM. Toward ICD-11: improving the clinical utility of WHO’s International Classification of mental disorders. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2010; 41(6): 457464.Google Scholar
46. Reed, GM, Roberts, MC, Keeley, J, et al. Mental health professionals’ natural taxonomies of mental disorders: implications for the clinical utility of the ICD 11 and the DSM 5. J Clin Psychol. 2013; 69(12): 11911212.Google Scholar
47. Maser, JD, Akiskal, HS. Spectrum concepts in major mental disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2002; 25(4): xixiii.Google Scholar
48. Cuthbert, BN. The RDoC framework: facilitating transition from ICD/DSM to dimensional approaches that integrate neuroscience and psychopathology. World Psychiatry. 2014; 13(1): 2835.Google Scholar
49. Kirmayer, LJ, Crafa, D. What kind of science for psychiatry? Front Hum Neurosci. 2014; 8: 435.Google Scholar
50. McLaren, N. Cells, circuits, and syndromes: a critical commentary on the NIMH Research Domain Criteria project. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry. 2011; 13(3): 229236.Google Scholar
51. Bolton, D. Should mental disorders be regarded as brain disorders? 21st century mental health sciences and implications for research and training. World Psychiatry. 2013; 12(1): 2425.Google Scholar
52. Lev, AI, Winters, K, Alie, L, et al. Response to proposed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria: professionals concerned with gender diagnoses in the DSM. GID Reform Weblog. 2010. Available at: https://gidconcern.wordpress.com/statement-on-transvestic-disorder-in-the-dsm-5/.Google Scholar
53. Cochran, SD, Drescher, J, Kismödi, E. Proposed declassification of disease categories related to sexual orientation in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11). Bull World Health Organ. 2014; 92: 672679.Google Scholar
54. Wakefield, JC, First, MB. Placing symptoms in context: the role of contextual criteria in reducing false positives in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnoses. Compr Psychiatry. 2012; 53(2): 130139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
55. Maj, M. The media campaign on the DSM-5: recurring comments and lessons for the future of diagnosis in psychiatric practice. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2015; 24(3): 197202.Google Scholar
56. Kendell, R, Jablensky, A. Distinguishing between the validity and utility of psychiatric diagnoses. Am J Psychiatry. 2003; 160(1): 412.Google Scholar
57. Smart, DW, Smart, JF. DSM-IV and culturally sensitive diagnosis: some observations for counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development. 1997; 75(5): 392398.Google Scholar
58. Widiger, TA, Sankis, LM. Adult psychopathology: issues and controversies. Annu Rev Psychol. 2000; 51: 377404.Google Scholar