Writing Homework Help

WORKING WITH THE DSM-5

So much of what forensic psychologists do has to do with the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with a variety of mental health concerns. It is very important that we understand and know how to use the DSM-5.

In this assignment, you have the opportunity to get familiar with the DSM-5 and begin to practice with it. You begin with describing the three different sections of the DSM-5 and examine how it is meant to be used. From Section 2, you will choose one specific disorder and list the criteria for the disorder. From Section 3, you will choose a subsection and discuss it.

Assignment Instructions

Include the following in your paper:

Describe the three sections of the DSM-5. In addition to your description, provide examples from each of the sections.

Summarize how Section 1 of the DSM-5 states that the manual should be used. Illustrate your points with examples.

Choose one disorder listed in Section 2 and list its diagnostic criteria. Use examples to help illustrate how the criteria fit with the overall diagnosis.

Be careful to list a disorder and not a category of disorders—for example, “Bipolar I” is a disorder, while “Bipolar and Related Disorders” is the category of disorders that the specific disorder of Bipolar I belongs to. This is an important distinction, and your goal is to present the specific disorder.

Section 3 of the DSM-5 contains five subsections, each of which has a forward-looking perspective.

Briefly discuss a subsection of your choice: what does it focus on, and what do you find interesting about it? Explain some of the ethics of using the DSM-5. What ethical principles, standards, or codes must professionals consider so that the DSM-5 is properly used and not misused? Cite a professional or scholarly source to support your thinking about ethics of using the DSM-5.