Traditionally, psychiatric symptoms have been the primary focus in diagnostic systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD). This episode questions whether there are better ways forward.
This episode is a continuation of the previous episode’s conversation about reforming the diagnostic system. We continue the discussion with personality neuroscience researcher Dr. Colin DeYoung. His cybernetic theory of psychopathology combines a neuroscience understanding of personality traits, psychiatric symptoms and dysfunction in the ability to pursue our wide range of goals as human beings. We discuss ways to understand psychopathology and mental disorders.
Timestamps
The cybernetic theory of psychopathology (0:00)
Defining psychopathology in a dimensional model (1:55)
The history of the cybernetic perspective (4:00)
Understanding personality traits as settings in the brain (7:00)
Mental health and the ability to pursue goals (8:40)
The role of dysfunction, symptoms and personality in mental illness (10:13)
Should a depressed psychic be treated as a schizophrenia patient? (14:10)
Cybernetic theory and case conceptualization (19:25)
Etiology in mental disorders vs. disorders of the body (21:45)
Intervening with psychological vs. biological treatments (30:00)
Mental illness doesn’t need to be seen as a permanent trait (34:45)
Links
The DeYoung Personality Lab:
https://deyoung.psych.umn.edu/
More podcasts and videos with Dr. Colin DeYoung:
https://deyoung.psych.umn.edu/personality-sites