Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Research Articles

Psychodeontological prerogatives related to the stigma of patients affected by mental disorders

The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illnesses as alterations in the cognitive, emotional or behavioral sphere (or a combination of these domains), which lead to suffering and/or problems in the person's social, professional or relational interaction skills. Given the range of possible symptoms, when talking about mental illnesses, reference should always be made to a standardized classification system, i.e. a list of disorders recognized to date, accompanied by their description and lists of symptoms and essential criteria for diagnosis. Currently, the most widely used manual in the world is the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), published by the American Psychiatric Association, whose structure follows a multiaxial system. Other international norms or classification systems include the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), which is often referred to by the WHO in mental health action plans, defining "mental disorders" as the range of disorders that falls under the ICD-10 classification. Within the given classifications, we can find disorders of different severities, with significant differences both in terms of the degree of suffering and in terms of the effects on the person's capacity for social interaction. However, the present paper does not aim to analyze clinical problems related to mental illnesses, but to address the state of care of people suffering from such illnesses in our country. In particular, we are motivated by the need to examine, from a bioethical point of view, critical issues arising from various studies of the current state of psychiatric care, critical issues affecting the lives of people with mental illness and their families, and which are strongly denounced to the institutions by the scientific societies.

When does a healthy lifestyle turn into a disorder? Orthorexia – diagnostic problems, methods of treatment

Introduction: Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a common phenomenon. Its prevalence in society ranges from 1% to 60%. Yet, there are no specific diagnostic criteria or effective screening tests. Moreover, orthorexia does not appear in any of the available international psychiatric classifications such as the ICD (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) and DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Due to this fact many people remain undiagnosed, which significantly affects their standard of living, and later puts a strain on the health care system.
 Material and method: The article is based on a study and analysis of available publications in the last few years, published in the PubMed database.
 Conclusions: It is crucial to create specific diagnostic criteria for orthorexia. This will enable efficient detection of patients at an early stage of the disorder, which will significantly shorten the diagnostic path. Moreover, specifying potential risk factors will help to reduce new cases.

Mazoşist Kişilik Özelliklerinin Freud ve Fairbairn’in Kuramları Açısından İncelenmesi: Mazoşizmin Tanımı ve Klinik Görünümü

Mazoşizm, DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) ve ICD (International Classification of Diseases) gibi yaygın olarak kullanılan tanı ve sınıflama sistemlerinde, dar anlamıyla, cinsel sapkınlıklar başlığı altında yer almaktadır. Psikanalitik literatürde ise mazoşizm çok daha kapsamlı bir biçimde, kendi aleyhine işleyen kişilik özellikleriyle tarif edilmektedir. Kendine engeller çıkarmak, diğer insanlarda reddedici ve saldırgan davranışları tetiklemek, talihsiz kararlar vermek, keyif alamamak, kendi emeklerini boşa çıkarmak, ızdırap çekmek, yoğun suçluluk hisleri taşımak, kendini cezalandırmak, başarısızlığa zemin hazırlamak gibi belirtilerle karakterize olan bir kişilik örgütlenmesi olarak görülmektedir. Psikoterapide sıklıkla karşılaşılan bir durum olmasına rağmen, mazoşizm üzerine yapılmış araştırmalar diğer karakter örgütlenmelerine kıyasla çok daha azdır. Özellikle Türkiye’de yayınlanan çalışmalar gözden geçirildiğinde, mazoşizmle ilgili kapsamlı bir derleme çalışmasının veya araştırmanın yok denecek kadar az olduğu göze çarpmaktadır. Bu makalenin amacı, mazoşizmin temel belirtilerini, klinik görünümünü ve gelişimsel temellerini psikanalitik açıdan ele almaktır. Öncelikle mazoşizmin özelliklerine ilişkin betimsel bir derleme yapılmış; ardından mazoşizmin etiyolojisini açıklamak üzere Freud’un ölüm dürtüsü ve yineleme zorlantısı kavramları ve Fairbairn’in nesne ilişkileri modelinde yer alan ahlaki savunma (moral defense), bölme (split) kavramları kullanılmıştır. Son olarak kendi aleyhine işleyen kişilik örüntüleri sergileyen A. Bey vakasıyla yürütülen psikoterapi süreci Freud ve Fairbairn’in kuramsal yaklaşımları kullanılarak formüle edilmiştir.

Application of a Bayesian Network Learning Model to Predict Longitudinal Trajectories of Executive Function Difficulties in Elementary School Students.

Executive function is the mental ability to modulate behavior or thinking to accomplish a task. This is developmentally important for children’s academic achievements and ability to adjust to school. We classified executive function difficulties (EFDs) in longitudinal trajectories in Korean children from 7 to 10 years old. We found predictors of EFDs using latent class growth analysis and Bayesian network learning methods with Panel Study data. Three types of latent class models of executive function difficulties were identified: low, intermediate, and high EFDs. The modeling performance of the high EFD group was excellent (AUC = .91), and the predictors were the child’s gender, temperamental emotionality, happiness, DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) anxiety problems, and the mother’s depression as well as coparenting conflict recognized by the mother. The results show that using latent class growth analysis and Bayesian network learning are helpful in classifying the longitudinal EFD patterns in elementary school students. Furthermore, school-age EFD is affected by emotional problems in parents and children that continue from early life. These findings can support children’s development and prevent risk by preclassifying children who may experience persistent EFD and tracing causes.

Importance of early diagnosis and intervention in per- son with TEA for its inclusion in society / Importância do diagnóstico e intervenção precoces na pessoa com TEA para sua inclusão na sociedade

Nowadays, the concept of autism distances itself from the notion of disease, having been better described later on the basis of observations by scholars of the subject. Only after forty years has autism been categorized as such in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) - and currently in the edition of DSM V, it is classified as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The earlier a diagnosis and an in- tervention, the greater the chance of this individual to develop their potentialities and be included in the family and in society.

Diagnostik als soziale Konstruktion

Diagnostis as social construction. On the history of the DSM as a hegemonic frame of reference for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic Diagnosis Systemic therapy as a service financed by the health insurance system requires the diagnosis of a »disorder with disease value« according to the ICD, whose categories are in turn based on the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) of the American Psychiatric Association, which have attained hegemonic status for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic diagnosis worldwide. The paper traces the historical development of this hegemony, which goes hand in hand with an individualization, decontextualization, ontologization, and medicalization of psychosocial problems and therefore runs counter to a systemic understanding of human problems.

De l’identité numérique vers la personnalité connectée, du diagnosticien augmenté vers le soignant virtuel : quels enjeux pour la psychologie et la psychiatrie du futur ?

De l’identité numérique vers la personnalité connectée, du diagnosticien augmenté vers le soignant virtuel : quels enjeux pour la psychologie et la psychiatrie du futur ?

Second-generation antidepressants for treatment of seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a seasonal pattern of recurrent depressive episodes that is often treated with second-generation antidepressants (SGAs), light therapy, or psychotherapy. To assess the efficacy and safety of second-generation antidepressants (SGAs) for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in adults in comparison with placebo, light therapy, other SGAs, or psychotherapy. This is an update of anearlier review first published in 2011. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials(CENTRAL; 2020, Issue 1) in the Cochrane Library (all years), Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO (2011 to January 2020), together with the Cochrane Common Mental Disorders Controlled Trials Register (CCMDCTR) (all available years), for reports of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Wehand searchedthereference listsof all included studiesand other systematic reviews. We searched ClinicalTrials.gov for unpublished/ongoing trials.We ran a separate updatesearch for reports of adverse events in the Ovid databases. SELECTION CRITERIA: For efficacy we included RCTs of SGAs compared with other SGAs, placebo, light therapy, or psychotherapy in adult participants with SAD. For adverse events we also included non-randomised studies. Two review authors independently screened abstracts and full-text publications against the inclusion criteria. Data extraction and 'Risk of bias' assessment were conducted individually. We pooled data for meta-analysis where the participant groups were similar, and the studies assessed the same treatments with the same comparator and had similar definitions of outcome measures over a similar duration of treatment. In this update we identified no new RCT on the effectiveness of SGAs in SAD patients. We included 2 additional single-arm observational studies that reported on adverse events of SGAs. For efficacy we included three RCTs of between five and eight weeks' duration with a total of 204 participants. For adverse events we included two RCTs and five observational (non-randomised) studies of five to eight weeks' duration with a total of 249 participants. All participants met the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria for SAD. The average age ranged from 34 to 42 years, and the majority of participants were female (66% to 100%). Results from one trial with 68 participants showed that fluoxetine (20/36)was numerically superior to placebo (11/32)in achieving clinical response; however, the confidence interval (CI) included both a potential benefit as well as no benefit of fluoxetine (risk ratio (RR) 1.62, 95% CI 0.92 to 2.83, very low-certainty evidence). The number of adverse events was similar in both groups (very low-certainty evidence). Two trials involving a total of 136 participants compared fluoxetine versus light therapy. Meta-analysis showed fluoxetine and light therapy to be approximately equal in treating seasonal depression: RR of response 0.98 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.24, low-certainty evidence), RR of remission 0.81 (95% CI 0.39 to 1.71, very low-certainty evidence). The number of adverse events was similar in both groups (low-certainty evidence). We did not identify any eligible study comparing SGA with another SGA or with psychotherapy. Two RCTs and five non-randomised studies reported adverse event data on a total of 249 participants who received bupropion, fluoxetine, escitalopram, duloxetine, nefazodone, reboxetine, light therapy, or placebo. We were only able to obtain crude rates of adverse events, therefore caution is advised regarding interpretation of this information. Between 0% and 100% of participants who received an SGA suffered an adverse event, and between 0% and 25% of participants withdrew from the study due to adverse events. Evidence for the effectiveness of SGAs is limited to one small trial of fluoxetine compared with placebo showing a non-significant effect in favour of fluoxetine, and two small trials comparing fluoxetine against light therapy suggesting equivalence between the two interventions. The lack of available evidence precluded us from drawing any overall conclusions on the use of SGAs for SAD. Further, larger RCTs are required to expand and strengthen the evidence base on this topic, and should also include comparisons with psychotherapy and other SGAs. Data on adverse events were sparse, and a comparative analysis was not possible. The data we obtained on adverse events is therefore not robust, and our confidence in the data is limited. Overall, up to 25% of participants treated with SGAs for SAD withdrew from the study early due to adverse events.

DSM-5: Επτά χρόνια μετά -εξελίξεις και προκλήσεις στην ταξινόμηση ψυχικών διαταραχών

The DSM-5, the fifth publication of the diagnostic system DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) has been a source of intense scientific interest and debate. The purpose of this article is to review the most important developments in this scientific dialogue during the seven years after the publication of the manual. To begin with, reference is briefly made to the development of the DSM-5 as well as to criticism and response to this criticism that immediately followed publication of the manual. Then, later developments regarding the DSM-5 are discussed, such as the focus on particular issues of concern as well as significant social and economic changes regarding contemporary classification systems. Research findings on the current use of diagnostic classification systems are also presented. Finally, particular areas of interest and concern regarding future classification, and new proposals as the Research Domain Criteria (RDoc) of the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States are discussed.

Development of the Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation ontology: Evaluation and workflow.

The study sought to create an integrated vocabulary system that addresses the lack of standardized health terminology in gender and sexual orientation. We evaluated computational efficiency, coverage, query-based term tagging, randomly selected term tagging, and mappings to existing terminology systems (including ICD (International Classification of Diseases), DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ), SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine), MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), and National Cancer Institute Thesaurus). We published version 2 of the Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation (GSSO) ontology with over 10000 entries with definitions, a readable hierarchy system, and over 14000 database mappings. Over 70% of terms had no mapping in any other available ontology. We created the GSSO and made it publicly available on the National Center for Biomedical Ontology BioPortal and on GitHub. It includes clarifications on over 200 slang terms, 190 pronouns with linked example usages, and over 200 nonbinary and culturally specific gender identities. Gender and sexual orientation continue to represent crucial areas of medical practice and research with evolving terminology. The GSSO helps address this gap by providing a centralized data resource.

Comparison of Alcohol Use Disorders in DSM and ICD

Abstract. Introduction: With advances in medicine, our understanding of diseases has deepened and diagnostic criteria have evolved. Currently, the most frequently used diagnostic systems are the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to diagnose alcohol-related disorders. Results: In this narrative review, we follow the historical developments in ICD and DSM with their corresponding milestones reflecting the scientific research and medical considerations of their time. The current diagnostic concepts of DSM-5 and ICD-11 and their development are presented. Lastly, we compare these two diagnostic systems and evaluate their practicability in clinical use.

The argument against crowdfunding Alzheimer’s disease research

With pharmaceutical companies’ repeated failures at finding effective interventions for Alzheimer’s disease, together with an increasing reliance on the growing Federal funding for research, there is an emergent opportunity for financing alternate research through crowdfunding. Crowdfunding - where funding is obtained from small donations from a large group of people-has become a new source of funding for medical research. By understanding how the research community has evolved to study Alzheimer’s disease the pitfalls of this strategy can be highlighted. Alzheimer’s disease research is complex. From its inception in the early 1900s, Alzheimer’s disease has been at the center of movement within psychiatry to define the disease on the basis of its biology. Recent emphasis—through the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), RDoC (Research Diagnostic Criteria), RDoC (Research Domain Criteria) as well as the more recent Framework from the U.S. National Institute on Aging - have supported an exclusive emphasis on biology. But by excluding other aspects of the disease, such as its clinical expression, this research approach will be shown to be faulty and contradictory. So far this approach has resulted in 100% failures. By examining the historical and financial circumstances of the industry centered on Alzheimer’s disease a strong warning is given to the public to mistrust crowdfunding Alzheimer’s disease research. A broader and more inclusive approach is likely to generate a better understanding of the disease and therefore hold better promise for understanding the disease in the long term. Such a nuance approach competes badly with the more binary search for a cure and is less receptive to public support through crowdfunding.

070 A Systematic Approach in the Assessment of Vaginismus: Revealing New Psychological and Organic Factors

The aim of this exploratory study is to investigate, in a cohort of subjects consulting for female sexual dysfunction (FSD), if there is a difference regarding medical and psychosocial parameters between women with vaginismus (V) and women with other sexual complaints. A consecutive series of 255 women attending our clinic for FSD was consecutively recruited. V was diagnosed according to DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders) IV-TR criteria. Both lifelong and acquired V cases were included. Patients underwent a structured interview and physical, gynecological, laboratory, and clitoral ultrasound examinations; they completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ), the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS) Revised and the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT). V was diagnosed in 20 patients (7.8%). V sufferers were significantly younger than the rest of the sample (p<0.05). No differences were found for traditional risk factors like a history of sexual abuse, relational parameters or gynecological diseases, nor for newly investigated parameters (i.e. neurological, hormonal and metabolic alterations). Women with V showed significantly higher histrionic symptoms and traits (as detected by MHQ-H score; p<0.05) when compared to subjects with other sexual complaints. When the scores of all MHQ subscales were simultaneously introduced in a logistic model, the association between V and MHQ-H score was confirmed (p=0.013). Women with V also showed higher FSFI Pain and FSDS total scores, even after adjusting for age (p<0.05). In an age-adjusted model, FSDS total score increased as a function of the years of duration of V (p=0.032) but not as a function of its severity. In a case-control study (ratio 1:3) we confirmed all the observations.

Post traumatic stress disorder among school children of Army Public School Peshawar after Six month of terrorists attack.

Background & Objectives:Terrorist attack in Army Public School Peshawar, Pakistan left behind more than hundred children dead. It was the highest death toll of children in the world in a single terrorists attack. The attack dominated national and international news, high level security measures have been adopted in all school throughout Pakistan, which created fear and stress in children. The objective of the study was to determine post-traumatic stress disorder among children after six month of terrorist attack inspite of rigorous psychosocial support and rehabilitation.Methods:We wanted to determine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among children of Army Public School of age range 10 to 18 years after 5 months of intervention and rehabilitation following terrorists attack. For this a self-report questionnaire, Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS), which assess and identify symptoms matching DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) IV criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder of children, was filled. Informed consent was taken from school Principal and responders.Results:A total 205 students of age range 10 to 18 years participated in the study. The most frequent age group of the study were 16 years and 14 years students with frequency 58 (28.3%) and 46 (22.4%) respectively. Among 205 participated school children PTSD were found in 154 (75.2%) children while only 24.8% students had no PTSD symptoms. In more than 50% PTSD positive school children had functional impairment for each category of fun and hobbies, friendship, school work, family relation, doing chores, general happiness and saying prayers.Conclusion:Study found a very high prevalence of PTSD among 10 to 18 years age group students of Army Public School inspite of five months continuous intervention and rehabilitation services. Study showed that this age group needs long term psychosocial treatment in case of trauma.

The genealogy of major depression: symptoms and signs of melancholia from 1880 to 1900.

How deep are the historical roots of our concept of major depression (MD)? I showed previously that psychiatric textbooks published in 1900-1960 commonly described 18 characteristic depressive symptoms/signs that substantially but incompletely overlapped with the current DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) MD criteria. I here expand that inquiry to the key years of 1880-1900 during which our major diagnostic categories of manic-depressive illness (MDI) and dementia praecox were developed. I review the symptoms of depression/melancholia in 28 psychiatric textbooks and 8 other relevant documents from this period including monographs, reviews and the first portrayal of melancholia Kraepelin in 1883. Descriptions of melancholia in the late nineteenth and twentieth century textbooks closely resembled each other, both reporting a mean of 12.4 characteristic symptoms, and emphasizing core features of mood change and alterations in cognitive content and psychomotor behavior. The detailed monographs, reviews and the early description of Kraepelin were more thorough, reporting a mean of 16.6 of these characteristic symptoms. These nineteenth century texts often contained phenomenologically rich descriptions of changes in mood and cognition, loss of interest and anhedonia and emphasized several features not in DSM including changes in volition/motivation, posture/facial expression and derealization/depersonalization. In the early nineteenth century, melancholia was often defined primarily by delusions or as the initial phase of a unitary psychosis transitioning to mania and then dementia. By 1880, the concept of depression as an independent mood disorder with characteristic symptoms/signs and a good prognosis had stabilized. Kraepelin incorporated this syndrome into his diagnostic concept of MDI, changing its name to 'Depressive States', but did not alter its underlying nature or clinical description.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MENGHAMBAT COMING OUT PADA LESBI FEMME DI BALI

In psychology, lesbian has not regarded as a psychiatric disorder since 1973 until now based on guidebook of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder). But until now presence of lesbians on the society are still faced with a denial and violation of religion, norms, and values prevailing in society. In Indonesia, especially in Bali, lesbian being as individual mostly "down" due to two main things, there are strong patriarchy culture that makes women as a minority and then because lesbians are still considered a disease and deviant. This makes the lesbian increasingly difficulty in adjusting to society that makes lesbian experience barriers to self-disclosure (coming out). Doing coming out in lesbian is not easy, especially in the lesbian femme which recognized very good at hiding his identity as a lesbian, because other people cannot just interpret a feminine woman is a lesbian. This makes the researchers want to determine the factors that hinder the coming out on lesbian femme in Bali.This study uses qualitative research methods with phenomenology approach. Respondents this study were four people who have an identity as a lesbian femme in Bali and have not done of coming out phase as a lesbian. The results of this study indicate that all respondents have not been able to reach the final stage of coming out as known as integration stage. The respondents only can reach the stage of awareness, exploration and acceptance. There are two limiting factor which inhibit of coming out phase, factors that originate from within the individual (internal limiting factor) and the factors that come from outside the individual (external limiting factor). Internal limiting factor obtained in the research that is the hope of re-heterosexual, guilt, and love, while the external limiting factor is influenced by family, social pressures, norms and culture.Keywords: Inhibit, Self-disclosure, Coming Out, Lesbian, Bali

Dimensions and Dissociation in PTSD in the DSM-5: Towards Eight Core Symptoms

The article reviews the literature on the dimensional (factor) structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as presented in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The DSM-5 PTSD diagnostic category contains 20 symptoms split into four factors. Also, the article considers the literature on the dissociative subtype, which is found in a minority of PTSD cases. The literature shows that the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) over the years has moved from a three-dimensional structure in prior DSMs to one with four dimensions in the DSM-5. However, the research reviewed queries whether the DSM-5’s four dimensions are consistent with the empirical literature; in this regard, models with five and six dimensions were the first to suggest alternatives. Moreover, in the literature, the DSM-5 symptoms appear to group into as many as seven dimensions, which are as follows: re-experiencing, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, externalizing behavior, anxious arousal, and dysphoric arousal (Armour et al., Journal of Psychiatric Research 61: 106–113, 2015; Wang et al., Journal of Anxiety Disorders 31: 90–97, 2015). In particular, the two DSM-5 dimensions of negative alterations in cognitions and mood and alterations in arousal and reactivity appear to be subdivided into five dimensions. Generally, the 20 PTSD symptoms and their suggested factors that are found in the literature could prove unwieldy to clinicians. Moreover, they allow for much heterogeneity in symptom expression among PTSD cases. In response, the article presents a model of PTSD based on the seven-factor dimensional structure emerging in the literature, as well as another factor associated with the dissociation subtype, but with one core or primary symptom specified for each of the dimensions. The article considers forensic implications of the newer models on PTSD’s dimensional structure.

Motivation for treatment in patients with substance use disorder: personal volunteering versus legal/familial enforcement.

BackgroundMotivation for treatment on the part of patients with addictive disorders is known to affect their prognosis, and lack thereof is reported to be among the most common reasons for failed treatment adherence and relapse after treatment. This study evaluated the relationship between volunteering, personality, demographic factors, and motivation for treatment.MethodsThe study was conducted at a substance dependence center in the eastern part of Turkey. Forty-five patients (mean age 37.9±11.2 years) with a substance use disorder were included. They were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) Axis II disorders. Depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Beck depression and anxiety inventories, and motivation for treatment was measured using the Turkish version of the Texas Christian University Motivation for Treatment scale.ResultsAll patients had been using substances daily and 41 (88.9%) had been using multiple drugs. The most commonly used substance was heroin (n=18, 40%). Voluntary admission was a predictor of motivation for treatment (P<0.05). Having a personality disorder and higher depression scores were related to less motivation for treatment.ConclusionMotivation for treatment is affected by external factors such as type of admission and internal factors such as personality disorder and depression. Investigation of ways to encourage voluntary admission for treatment instead of enforced strategies may be helpful for achieving higher levels of motivation for treatment in substance users.

The Sense and Pointlessness of the Concept of a Norm in the Analysis of Psychopathic Personality Disorders

n the following thesis we are going to use the term ‘psychopathy’, in contrary to the tendency prevailing in the Polish reference books to use modern terminology recommended by psychiatric diagnostics guidelines, both DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and ICD (International Classification of Diseases). The term ‘psychopathy’ is used in the global literature of the subject as an operationalized construct, investigated extensively both on theoretical and empirical grounds. This psychological-psychiatric term is–like no other–closely related to the violation of norms, especially legal ones. In the following thesis we would like to discuss the role and significance of norms, including legal ones, in the functioning of individuals with psychopathic personality disorders. It is assumed that such persons demonstrate problems with acquiring, and hence respecting, the binding norms and regulation, which is reflected by a high percentage of psychopaths in the population of individuals violating legal norms. In addition, psychopaths exhibit a tendency to violate all kinds of legal norms, not specializing in an certain type of crime, which is described as ‘criminal versatility’. Therefore posing a question about the role and significance of norms in etiology and diagnostics of psychopathy seems to be an important issue. The concept of psychopathy. A few remarks about terminology.

A psiquiatrização da existência: dos manicômios à neuroquímica da subjetividade

This work aims to develop a critique of psychiatrization of existence focusing particularly relations between the biological rationale and strategies for expansion of psychiatric intervention in increasing population contingents and in various walks of life. Inspired by Foucault’s genealogy, the research begins its historical review from pinelian alienism, this understood as the disciplinary mode appropriation inaugural of madness by medicine. Following, are analyzed the different historical formats presented by psychiatric organicism since its introduction by the morelian theory of degeneration in the XIX century until the preventive reforms of the postwar. Develops, so, in the light of initiated historical analysis, an examination of the set factors involved in the current emphasis on psychopharmacological which contemporary psychiatry will extend its biological reductionism, basing many circumstances of human existence on chemical neurotransmission. On the way of the analysis are addressed the complicity between psychiatry and pharmaceutical industry and the correlative role played by successive editions of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) in its extraordinary multiplication of possibilities diagnostic which psychiatry has been providing its psychopharmacology object as explanatory regulator and plurality of manifestations of contemporary subjectivity. Under this basis, are critically problematized current perspectives of psychiatry that, in seeking to realize the dream to integrate scientific medicine to packs since the XIX century, have been accepting the over determination of this field identity knowledge and its clinical practice by a promoted psychopharmacology in major companies psychopharmacs. Finally, it is suggested that psychiatry, reduced to a mere prescription intermediation the performance between patients and pharmaceutical companies, running the risk of being gradually superfluous dominant global development of a market rationality that privileges more direct relationships among instances of production and consumption.