Читать книгу Introduction to Abnormal Child and Adolescent Psychology - Robert Weis - Страница 41

Diagnosis has a number of benefits. Perhaps the most obvious benefit to diagnostic classification is parsimony. Imagine that you are a psychologist who has just assessed a 3-year-old child with suspected developmental delays. You discover that the child shows severe and pervasive problems with social communication and repetitive behavior. Instead of describing each of these symptoms, you can simply use the appropriate diagnostic label: autism spectrum disorder.

A second advantage to diagnosis is that it can aid in professional communication. Another mental health professional who sees your diagnosis knows that your client exhibits the signs and symptoms of autism described in DSM-5. The second professional does not need to conduct her own assessment of the child to arrive at an independent diagnosis to know something about the child’s functioning.

A third advantage is that a diagnosis can aid in prediction. If you know that your client has autism, you can use the existing research literature to determine the child’s prognosis or likely outcome. For example, most children with autism show chronic impairment in social and communicative functioning; however, prognosis is best among children with higher cognitive abilities and better developed language skills. The research literature also indicates that children who participate in treatment before age 4 often have the best developmental outcomes. You might share this information with the child’s parents so they can make more informed decisions regarding the child’s education and treatment (Pijl, Buitelaar, de Korte, Rommelse, & Oosterling, 2019).

A fourth and closely related benefit of diagnostic classification is that it can help to plan treatment. If you know that your client has autism, you can also use the existing research literature to plan an intervention. For example, a number of studies have indicated that early, intensive behavioral interventions can be effective in improving the social and communication skills of young children with autism. Other forms of treatment, such as art and music therapy, have far less empirical support (Volkmar, Reichow, Westphal, & Mandell, 2015).

Fifth, diagnostic classification can help individuals obtain social or educational services. For example, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA) is a federal law that entitles children with autism to special education because of their developmental disability. Special education might involve enrollment in a special needs preschool, early intensive behavioral training paid by the school district, provision of a classroom aide or tutor, academic accommodations, occupational skills training, and other services.

Sixth, diagnostic classification can be helpful to caregivers. Although no parent is happy when his or her child is diagnosed, many parents feel relieved when their child’s disorder is finally identified. After hearing that her 3-year-old child had autism, one parent said, “Well, I finally know what’s wrong. I always suspected it and now I know. I suppose we can finally move forward.” Diagnostic labels can also facilitate communication between caregivers of children with similar disorders in order to share information and gain social support.

Finally, diagnostic classification can facilitate scientific discovery. Researchers who conduct studies on the causes and treatment of autism can compare the results of their investigations with the findings of others. Indeed, many studies are conducted by teams of researchers across multiple locations. As long as researchers use the same diagnostic criteria and procedures to classify children, results can be combined to generate a more thorough understanding of the disorder.