Towards a positive and context-sensitive diagnostic practice
Abstract
The therapists who endorse positive psychology, constructivist theories and strength-based ideas understand how important it is to consider psychological health and adaptation. The people and their relationships, culture, and context shape multiple ways of defining reality. On the contrary, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) considers human problems as pathological deficits from a single shared reality. The DSM is becoming increasingly the dominant discourse in the treatment of psychological problems. How are these differences negotiated in theory and practice? What is the perspective of the therapist who practices in the light of ideas such as: strength, context, possibility, systems, and power over the role of the DSM in therapy? The collaborative strategies needed to bridge this gap will be presented in this paper. The need to incorporate a diagnosis based on human strength and environmental resources and the importance of including the patient in the diagnostic process will be discussed.
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References
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