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Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Medical Model

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1. The medical model approach describes mental illness as a function caused by genetics that is passed down to each individual. The medical model defines mental illness as a biological disease that is caused by malfunctioning neurophysiological process. The DSM-5 is used in the medical model as a classification system of psychological disorders to help the clinician diagnosis and treat mental illnesses. There are strengths and limitations of focusing on the medical model and the use of the DSM when working with clients. The strengths when working with clients on a medical model perspective is that the use of the DSM provides a common language to use in the medical community. The DSM provides reliability and structural guideline to each mental disorder. The structural guidelines in the DSM provide an organized list of criteria and specifiers to help determine the severity of the mental disorder. When diagnosing a client, there are many similar signs and symptoms to each mental disorder; thus, the DSM provides the clinician information about differential diagnosis, prevalence, possible co-morbidity, age of onset, and progressive development of symptoms. Hence, focusing on the medical model and using the DSM can be beneficial to both the client and the clinician providing treatment. Nonetheless, there are limitations associated with the medical model and the DSM. These limitations include focusing on the symptoms rather than focusing on other factors in the

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