Diagnosis vs. Prognosis in Mental Health

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiagnosis vs. Prognosis: Key DifferencesWhat Is a Diagnosis in Mental Health?What Is a Prognosis in Mental Health?How a Prognosis Is DeterminedTypes of PrognosesWhy Prognosis Is ImportantFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Diagnosis vs. Prognosis: Key Differences

What Is a Diagnosis in Mental Health?

What Is a Prognosis in Mental Health?

How a Prognosis Is Determined

Types of Prognoses

Why Prognosis Is Important

Frequently Asked Questions

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The terms diagnosis and prognosis are often used in mental health. While they are sometimes confused, they have different meanings. A diagnosis identifies the condition that is associated with a set of symptoms. A prognosis is a prediction about the course that a condition will take.

At a Glance

How Is Mental Illness Diagnosed and Treated?

Identifies the problem or condition

Comes before the prognosis

Focuses on the person’s current condition

May require assessments, physical examination, and medical history

A prediction about the condition’s course or outcome

Comes after the diagnosis

Focuses on the future development of the condition

May require looking at knowledge of typical disease progression, co-morbid conditions, current functioning, and available treatments

A diagnosis in mental health is a determination of the condition that is causing the symptoms that a person is currently experiencing. Mental health professionals utilize the"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5-TR), which lists the symptoms of different mental health conditions.

Each condition has specific diagnostic criteria that should be met to make a diagnosis. Such criteria include the condition’s symptoms, how many symptoms must be present, how long these symptoms must occur, and other conditions that must be ruled out.

To make a diagnosis, a doctor or mental health professional will ask questions about symptoms. They may also perform a physical exam and order blood tests to help rule out medical conditions that might be causing symptoms. They may also take a family history, medical history, and adminster psychological assessments.

People often confuse the terms prognosis and diagnosis. The difference between the two is that while a prognosis is a guess as to the outcome of treatment, a diagnosis is actually identifying the problem and giving it a name.

Simply put, a prognosis is a prediction, whereas a diagnosis states what’s already there.

When making a prognosis, healthcare professionals are trying to predict:

A prognosis also makes predictions about how a condition will affect a person’s quality of life. It is used as a best guess for how the condition will affect your life in the future.

Healthcare professionals often rely on statistics about condition outcomes in order to make a prognosis about any given condition. Because a prognosis is based on how people tend to do on average, it means that it isn’t necessarily written in stone.

A doctor or mental health professional may use a variety of assessments and methods to help them make a prediction about the course of a mental health condition.

Lab tests, medical history, psychological assessments, diagnostic criteria, and symptom severity can also influence how they determine an individual’s prognosis.

A variety of different factors can also affect a person’s prognosis. These factors include:

A healthcare or mental health professional will also want to know about the type ofsocial supportyou have in your life, which can significantly impact your prognosis. People who have good interpersonal relationships and a strong social support system tend to fare better.

RecapPrognosis is a best guess about the future course and impact of a condition, but that doesn’t mean it is set in stone. Individual prognosis with any condition can depend on a variety of factors including your medical history, general health, severity of symptoms, sex, age, and lifestyle factors.

Recap

Prognosis is a best guess about the future course and impact of a condition, but that doesn’t mean it is set in stone. Individual prognosis with any condition can depend on a variety of factors including your medical history, general health, severity of symptoms, sex, age, and lifestyle factors.

The following categories of prognoses are typically used:

Understanding prognosis can be important for a number of different reasons.

Prognosis may be given before any treatment is undertaken so that the individual can weigh the benefits of different treatment options. In some cases, the treatment approach a person pursues may affect their prognosis, so such guesses can inform which treatments people opt to pursue.

What This Means For YouEveryone is different, and the course of your own condition may vary depending on a wide variety of factors. Your doctor or therapist can give you an educated guess. However, it is essential to remember that this guess is not a guaranteed outcome. Working with a trusted medical or mental health professional can help you or your loved one understand what to expect and make plans to manage your mental health condition.

What This Means For You

Everyone is different, and the course of your own condition may vary depending on a wide variety of factors. Your doctor or therapist can give you an educated guess. However, it is essential to remember that this guess is not a guaranteed outcome. Working with a trusted medical or mental health professional can help you or your loved one understand what to expect and make plans to manage your mental health condition.

Provisional Diagnosis vs. Differential Diagnosis

Frequently Asked QuestionsA prognosis may be provided at diagnosis, but it can also be updated over time as more information becomes available about how a person will respond to treatment. It may also be changed in a person’s symptoms grow worse or suddenly change.A prognosis statement contains predictions about the outcome of a person’s condition and the expected course the condition is likely to take. This statement may be included in a therapists notes, in a patient assessment, or in their treatment care plan.Prognosis with treatment refers to how a person is expected to fare if their condition is treated appropriately. In most cases, a person’s prognosis is much better if they receive treatment than if their symptoms are left untreated.

A prognosis may be provided at diagnosis, but it can also be updated over time as more information becomes available about how a person will respond to treatment. It may also be changed in a person’s symptoms grow worse or suddenly change.

A prognosis statement contains predictions about the outcome of a person’s condition and the expected course the condition is likely to take. This statement may be included in a therapists notes, in a patient assessment, or in their treatment care plan.

Prognosis with treatment refers to how a person is expected to fare if their condition is treated appropriately. In most cases, a person’s prognosis is much better if they receive treatment than if their symptoms are left untreated.

If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health condition, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health condition, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Croft P, Altman DG, Deeks JJ, et al.The science of clinical practice: disease diagnosis or patient prognosis? Evidence about “what is likely to happen” should shape clinical practice.BMC Med. 2015;13(1):20. doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0265-4van Smeden M, Reitsma JB, Riley RD, Collins GS, Moons KG.Clinical prediction models: diagnosis versus prognosis.J Clin Epidemiol. 2021;132:142-145. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.01.009Patton GC, Coffey C, Romaniuk H, et al.The prognosis of common mental disorders in adolescents: a 14-year prospective cohort study.Lancet. 2014;383(9926):1404-1411. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62116-9Remschmidt H, Theisen F.Early-onset schizophrenia.Neuropsychobiology. 2012;66(1):63-9. doi:10.1159/000338548Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.JAMAPsychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Croft P, Altman DG, Deeks JJ, et al.The science of clinical practice: disease diagnosis or patient prognosis? Evidence about “what is likely to happen” should shape clinical practice.BMC Med. 2015;13(1):20. doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0265-4van Smeden M, Reitsma JB, Riley RD, Collins GS, Moons KG.Clinical prediction models: diagnosis versus prognosis.J Clin Epidemiol. 2021;132:142-145. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.01.009Patton GC, Coffey C, Romaniuk H, et al.The prognosis of common mental disorders in adolescents: a 14-year prospective cohort study.Lancet. 2014;383(9926):1404-1411. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62116-9Remschmidt H, Theisen F.Early-onset schizophrenia.Neuropsychobiology. 2012;66(1):63-9. doi:10.1159/000338548Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.JAMAPsychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Croft P, Altman DG, Deeks JJ, et al.The science of clinical practice: disease diagnosis or patient prognosis? Evidence about “what is likely to happen” should shape clinical practice.BMC Med. 2015;13(1):20. doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0265-4van Smeden M, Reitsma JB, Riley RD, Collins GS, Moons KG.Clinical prediction models: diagnosis versus prognosis.J Clin Epidemiol. 2021;132:142-145. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.01.009Patton GC, Coffey C, Romaniuk H, et al.The prognosis of common mental disorders in adolescents: a 14-year prospective cohort study.Lancet. 2014;383(9926):1404-1411. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62116-9Remschmidt H, Theisen F.Early-onset schizophrenia.Neuropsychobiology. 2012;66(1):63-9. doi:10.1159/000338548Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.JAMAPsychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985

Croft P, Altman DG, Deeks JJ, et al.The science of clinical practice: disease diagnosis or patient prognosis? Evidence about “what is likely to happen” should shape clinical practice.BMC Med. 2015;13(1):20. doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0265-4

van Smeden M, Reitsma JB, Riley RD, Collins GS, Moons KG.Clinical prediction models: diagnosis versus prognosis.J Clin Epidemiol. 2021;132:142-145. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.01.009

Patton GC, Coffey C, Romaniuk H, et al.The prognosis of common mental disorders in adolescents: a 14-year prospective cohort study.Lancet. 2014;383(9926):1404-1411. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62116-9

Remschmidt H, Theisen F.Early-onset schizophrenia.Neuropsychobiology. 2012;66(1):63-9. doi:10.1159/000338548

Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.JAMAPsychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985

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