The atheoretical approach is one of the most important in diagnosing mental disorders within DSM-5. This view of mental health suggests that the etiology of mental disorders cannot be unequivocally established. In particular, DSM-5 recognizes that the occurrence of mental disorders in people’s daily lives does not have a specific cause that can be clearly described. The main strength of this approach lies in the ability to include a wide range of symptoms and manifestations in diagnosing disorders.
Professionals can assess the behavior and condition of a person and characterize it as a manifestation of a mental disorder. However, at the same time, this vague description suggests many interpretations, which is also the main limitation of the approach. Thus, the atheoretical approach leads to a lack of specific criteria for patient evaluation, which leads to difficulties for clinicians in defining disorders.
At the same time, DSM-5 uses a categorical approach to describe the symptoms and manifestations of mental disorders. An evident advantage of this approach is the presence of certain indicators that could help identify a mental disorder. Additionally, a categorical approach involves a description of each disorder, which can, to some extent, guide professionals in their diagnosis. On the other hand, this approach, as opposed to the atheoretical one, may limit clinicians in describing the manifestations of disorders.
This aspect may result in a false diagnosis based on the descriptions and criteria provided in the categories. Thus, the two approaches presented by the DSM-5 appear to be complementary and offer a framework for the holistic evaluation of behavioral and psychological factors. However, both the description and the classification of mental disorders presented in the DSM-5 have their drawbacks.