Beyond Diagnosis

The issue of medical diagnosis in mental health has always been contentious, with many professionals questioning the reliability and validity of psychiatric diagnosis. On this course, you’ll get an introduction the history, practice and functions of psychiatric diagnosis. You’ll find out about some of the benefits of psychiatric diagnosis, as well as the possible negative outcomes. You’ll understand the principal criticisms of psychiatric diagnosis, including validity, utility and underlying theoretical assumptions. You’ll explore some of the possible alternatives to psychiatric diagnosis. By the end of the course, you'll be able to... This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in mental health and psychology, but may be of particular interest to health and social care professionals. The University of Liverpool is ranked in the top 1% of higher education institutions worldwide.

• The nature of psychiatric diagnosis.
• The practice and uses of psychiatric diagnosis.
• The controversies surrounding the benefits and possible negative consequences of psychiatric diagnosis.
• Possible alternatives to psychiatric diagnosis.