Beyond the DSM Story: Ethical Quandaries, Challenges, and Best Practices

Karen Eriksen · Victoria E. Kress

Oct 2004 · SAGE

About this ebook

"Among many of the ethical issues clinicians encounter in their practice, diagnosing someone with a given mental disorder just for the purpose of reimbursement of services is perhaps the number one ethical dilemma. This book is an outstanding review of the conceptual and empirical literature on this particular dilemma. But the most important contribution of this book is that it provides an extensive discussion of clinical strategies and case vignettes that clinicians could use in diagnosing mental disorder and as the same time attending to ethical standards governing their discipline."
—Freddy A. Paniagu, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston

"Eriksen and Kress offer a well-formulated discussion of problems with the American Psychiatric Association′s The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disoders (DSM), Including almost 800 references, this volume covers the literature in the field extremely well."
—W.P. Anderson, CHOICE

Beyond the DSM Story presents challenges to the Diagnostic Statistical Model (DSM) system from ethical and cultural perspectives, critically evaluating its fit with other professional and theoretical orientations. It offers possible solutions or best practices for addressing ethical, theoretical, and contextual quandaries, along with experiential activities that challenge the reader to think critically about both the problems and the solutions associated with DSM diagnosis. Beyond the DSM Story presents an atheoretical model for incorporating alternative models with DSM assessment. Instructors, students and practitioners will benefit from this critical appraisal of the DSM.

Features

• Addresses the philosophical discrepancies between a medical model, DSM assessment approach, and most helping philosophies.

• provides a thorough framework for utilizing the DSM in a contextually sensitive fashion

• Comprehensively reviews the challenges to the DSM system, particularly multicultural and feminist challenges and addressing ethical concerns related to using the DSM system

• Provides case studies and experiential/interactive activities that challenge the reader to consider the DSM from a contextual perspective

About the author

Dr. Karen Eriksen, founder/CEO of the Eriksen Institute, has spent the last 35 years successfully transforming organizations by inspiring leaders to become intentional and ethical team builders; more creative and innovative problem solvers; and outstanding communicators, influencers, and conflict resolvers. She is an expert change agent and instructional designer; award winning trainer, teacher, presenter, and author; soft skills and systems expert, and accomplished leader. As a result of her trainings, supervision, instructional design, group facilitation, and coaching, leaders and employees regain their enthusiasm and effectiveness, and skillfully transform their organizations toward improved morale, increased innovation, and optimal productivity and profitability. Her primary work has been designing and conducting leadership training with follow up coaching in the health care, government, and education industries. She is also committed to encouraging organizations to aspire toward the optimal in values and ethical decision making. Dr. Eriksen recently published the book, Perfect Phrases for Creativity and Innovation.

Victoria E. Kress, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of counseling at Youngstown State University. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor, and has 15 years of clinical experience working in various settings such as community mental health centers, hospitals, residential treatment facilities, private practice, and college counseling centers. She has numerous refereed publications in the areas of self-injurious behavior, the DSM, sexual assault and trauma, and strength based counseling approaches. She has been the recipient of three research and writing awards.