Diagnostic Classification Systems

Abstract

It has not been until within the past several decades that significant advances have been made in the development of diagnostic classification systems for childhood psychopathology. Several important factors throughout history seem to have contributed to the failure to develop any such system (see Frame & Matson, 1987; Nathan & Harris, 1983), the most important factor possibly being the relatively insignificant attention paid to the study of psychopathology in general until the late 1800s. Because there was little interest in psychopathology in general, there was no perceived need for diagnosis or classification. Second, it was not truly until the turn of this century that children were viewed as being different from adults. Therfore, little attention was given to issues pertaining to children or their development. A third factor that diverted attention away from childhood psychopathology involved the work of Alfred Binet. He and his associates, using extensive normative and developmental data, developed a test that was very successful in assessing intellectual functioning. The utility and popularity of their test turned attention toward intellectual assessment and away from other psychological problems of children. Finally, a movement of American psychiatrists led by Adolf Meyer in the first half of this century stressed the unimportance of diagnostic labels and classification systems and stated that, instead of assigning meaningless labels, one should focus on each individual’s symptoms and ways of responding to the environment.