Evidence-Based Mental Disorder Diagnosis: How to Increase Accountability, Efficiency and Objectivity

In this course, Dr Robert Shwartz, Ph.D., PCC-S, coordinator of the clinical mental health program at Ohio’s University of Akron, underscores the need for objectivity and accuracy in making diagnoses of mental disorders. Evidence-based mental disorder diagnosis is crucial for continuity of care, increasing the counsellor’s reputation, gaining peer respect, reducing liability, and being promoted. Dr Shwartz shows how diagnosis fits into the counselling process, defines “mental disorder”, and details the standards for evidence-based diagnosis. In the question-and-answer session after his talk, Dr Shwartz discusses why counsellors struggle with diagnosis, and why misdiagnosis and over-diagnosis commonly occur.