Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionSigns & SymptomsDiagnostic SystemsPeople in PsychopathologyIdentifying Mental Health ProblemsCausesTypesThe Study of Mental IllnessTreatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Signs & Symptoms
Diagnostic Systems
People in Psychopathology
Identifying Mental Health Problems
Causes
Types
The Study of Mental Illness
Treatments
Close
Psychopathology is the study of mental health conditions and other problems that are connected to mental health. The goal is to better understand how people think, feel, and act, particularly when these patterns are outside of the norm and lead to distress or dysfunction.
An early use of the term “psychopathology” dates back to 1913, when Karl Jaspers, a German/Swiss philosopher and psychiatrist, introduced the idea in his bookGeneral Psychopathology.This new framework for understanding individuals' mental experiences followed a long history of varied attempts to make meaning out of “abnormal experiences.”
Whether it involves anxiety, depression, or serious mental illnesses, psychopathology looks at the underlying causes and patterns behind these conditions. The goal is to recognize the associated symptoms, develop tools for categorizing and diagnosing these conditions, learn more about the causes, and utilize strategies to treat and even prevent mental health problems.
The road to understanding the causes and presentations of mental illness has been long, and we still have much to learn. Today, however, we have a much better understanding of the factors that contribute to mental health problems—as well as ways to help.
What Does Psychopathology Mean?
How do we currently define psychopathology? In short, this discipline can be understood as an in-depth study of problems related to mental health. Just likepathologyis the study of the nature of disease (including causes, development, and outcomes),psychopathologyis the study of the same concepts within the realm of mental health (or illness).
This study of mental illness can include a long list of elements: symptoms, behaviors, causes (genetics, biology, social, psychological), course, development, categorization, treatments, strategies, and more.
In this way, psychopathology is all about exploring problems related to mental health: how to understand them, how to classify them, and how to fix them. Because of this, the topic of psychopathology extends from research to treatment and covers every step in between. The better we can understand why a mental disorder develops, the easier it will be to find effective treatments.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Signs of Psychopathology
Signs of psychopathology vary depending on the nature of the condition. Some of the signs that a person might be experiencing some form of psychopathology include:
Mental Illness Types, Symptoms, and Diagnosis
Professionals engaged in research and treatment of psychopathology must use systems to arrive at conclusions regarding the best course of action for treatment. These systems are used to classify what are considered mental health disorders. Currently, the most widely used systems for classifying mental illness in the United States are the following:
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
The criteria and list of disorders sometimes change as new research emerges. Some examples of disorders listed in the DSM-5-TR include major depressive disorder,bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, paranoid personality disorder, andsocial anxiety disorder.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Overview
International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
Second, the goal of the ICD-11 is to reduce the burden of disease globally. It includes medical as well as mental health diagnoses. Third, the ICD-11 is freely available on the Internet. In contrast, the DSM must be purchased, and the American Psychiatric Association derives revenue from sales of the book and related products.
Still, the DSM-5-TR is the standard for classification among American mental health professionals and is generally used for treatment planning and insurance purposes.
Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)
Beyond these standard systems for classifying mental disorders, there also exists a burgeoning area of research and theory that moves away from the checklist format of making diagnoses. Since it’s possible to havesymptoms of a mental illnessbut not meet the criteria for an official diagnosis, studies of descriptive psychopathology hold promise for a better system of understanding.
The RDoC is primarily aimed at planning and funding research.
Who Works In Psychopathology?
Just as the scope of psychopathology is broad-ranging from research to treatment, so too is the list of types of professionals who tend to be involved in the field. At the research level, you will find research psychologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, and others trying to make sense of the different manifestations of mental disorders seen in clinical practice.
At the clinical level, you will find many types of professionals attempting to apply the diagnostic systems that are in place to provide effective treatments to individuals living with psychopathology. These can include the following and more:
Identifying Psychopathology
How do psychologists and psychiatrists decide what extends beyond normal behavior to enter the territory of “psychopathology?”
Psychiatric disorders can be conceptualized as referring to problems in four areas: deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger.
For example, if you were experiencing symptoms ofdepressionand went to see a psychiatrist, you would be assessed according to a list of symptoms (most likely those in the DSM-5-TR):
In this way, you can see that the distinction between normal versus psychopathological behavior comes down to how issues are affecting you or the people around you.
Often it is not until things come to a crisis point that a diagnosis is made when someone comes in contact with a medical or mental health professional.
Causes of Psychopathology
There is not a single cause for psychopathology. There a number of factors that can increase the risk of mental illness, including:
It is also important to realize that mental health can change over time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that 50% of all people will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their life.
Types of Psychopathology
Some of the different types of psychopathology include, but are not limited to:
Explore the Psychological Disorders of the DSM-5-TR
Dimensional vs. Categorical Definitions
It’s easy to see that there has been some disagreement historically about what constitutes mental illness. At the same time, even in the current field, there is disagreement about how mental illness should best be conceptualized.
Are all of the disorders in the DSM distinct, or are there higher-order overarching factors that play a role in mental illness and that might better explain why some people are diagnosed with many illnesses (calledcomorbidity)?
Some research suggests that there are neuropsychological dimensions that cut across current diagnostic categories, noting the problems inherent in the “checklist” approach to mental health.
It might be misleading to group disorders as separate when there can be so much overlap between people diagnosed with different disorders (and so many dissimilarities among people diagnosed with the same disorder).
Hopefully, in the future, better diagnostic systems will be developed that will take all these issues in the field of psychopathology into account.
History of the Study of Mental Illness
We’ve come a long way since the earliest beginnings of trying to make sense of mental illness. Although individuals with mental health issues still facestigmaand a lack of understanding, things were very different in the past.
Hippocrates, the 4th century BC Greek physician, rejected the notion of evil spirits and argued instead that mental illness was a disease of the brain relating to imbalances of bodily humors, or chemicals in the body fluids. Around the same time, the philosopher Plato argued that mental distress involved issues of virtue, morality, and the soul.
As of the present day, our understanding of mental illness has broadened, and so, thankfully, have the available treatments.
Treatments for Psychopathology
Treatments for mental health conditions are designed to help people overcome challenges, improve their ability to function, and reduce distress. The right treatment can vary depending on what condition a person is diagnosed with. Some different types of treatments that are often recommended when a person is experiencing psychopathology include:
Remember, everyone’s situation is different; each treatment plan will be unique. In many cases, treatment will involve two or more of these methods.
The goal is to help improve functioning while also giving people the long-term skills they need to foster mental well-being.
Takeaways
Are we any closer to an appropriate understanding of psychopathology? That remains to be debated. However, we’ve certainly moved forward toward a program of research that holds promise for characterizing psychopathology in increasingly helpful ways.
What Is a Psychological Disorder?
10 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.Aragona M.The influence of Max Weber on the concept of empathic understanding (Verstehen) in the psychopathology of Karl Jaspers.Hist Psychiatry.2019;30(3):283-299. doi:10.1177/0957154X19845309Forbes MK, Sunderland M, Rapee RM, et al.A detailed hierarchical model of psychopathology: From individual symptoms up to the general factor of psychopathology.Clin Psychol Sci. 2021;9(2):139-168. doi:10.1177/2167702620954799Fluyau D.Integrating DSM/ICD, Research Domain Criteria, and descriptive psychopathology in teaching and practice of psychiatry.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:484. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00484Goldberg D.Psychopathology and classification in psychiatry.Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.2015 Jan;50(1):1–5. doi:10.1007/s00127-014-0924-yStein DJ, Palk AC, Kendler KS.What is a mental disorder? An exemplar-focused approach.Psychol Med. 2021;51(6):894-901. doi:10.1017/S0033291721001185Schultze-Lutter F, Schmidt SJ, Theodoridou A.Psychopathology-a precision tool in need of re-sharpening.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:446. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00446Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Learn about mental health.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Rosenström T, Gjerde LC, Krueger RF, Aggen SH, Czajkowski NO, Gillespie NA et al.Joint factorial structure of psychopathology and personality.Psychol Med. 2019 Oct;49(13):2158-2167. doi:10.1017/S00332917180029822018Locher C, Meier S, Gaab J.Psychotherapy: A world of meanings.Front Psychol. 2019;10:460. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00460
10 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.Aragona M.The influence of Max Weber on the concept of empathic understanding (Verstehen) in the psychopathology of Karl Jaspers.Hist Psychiatry.2019;30(3):283-299. doi:10.1177/0957154X19845309Forbes MK, Sunderland M, Rapee RM, et al.A detailed hierarchical model of psychopathology: From individual symptoms up to the general factor of psychopathology.Clin Psychol Sci. 2021;9(2):139-168. doi:10.1177/2167702620954799Fluyau D.Integrating DSM/ICD, Research Domain Criteria, and descriptive psychopathology in teaching and practice of psychiatry.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:484. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00484Goldberg D.Psychopathology and classification in psychiatry.Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.2015 Jan;50(1):1–5. doi:10.1007/s00127-014-0924-yStein DJ, Palk AC, Kendler KS.What is a mental disorder? An exemplar-focused approach.Psychol Med. 2021;51(6):894-901. doi:10.1017/S0033291721001185Schultze-Lutter F, Schmidt SJ, Theodoridou A.Psychopathology-a precision tool in need of re-sharpening.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:446. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00446Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Learn about mental health.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Rosenström T, Gjerde LC, Krueger RF, Aggen SH, Czajkowski NO, Gillespie NA et al.Joint factorial structure of psychopathology and personality.Psychol Med. 2019 Oct;49(13):2158-2167. doi:10.1017/S00332917180029822018Locher C, Meier S, Gaab J.Psychotherapy: A world of meanings.Front Psychol. 2019;10:460. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00460
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.
Aragona M.The influence of Max Weber on the concept of empathic understanding (Verstehen) in the psychopathology of Karl Jaspers.Hist Psychiatry.2019;30(3):283-299. doi:10.1177/0957154X19845309Forbes MK, Sunderland M, Rapee RM, et al.A detailed hierarchical model of psychopathology: From individual symptoms up to the general factor of psychopathology.Clin Psychol Sci. 2021;9(2):139-168. doi:10.1177/2167702620954799Fluyau D.Integrating DSM/ICD, Research Domain Criteria, and descriptive psychopathology in teaching and practice of psychiatry.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:484. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00484Goldberg D.Psychopathology and classification in psychiatry.Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.2015 Jan;50(1):1–5. doi:10.1007/s00127-014-0924-yStein DJ, Palk AC, Kendler KS.What is a mental disorder? An exemplar-focused approach.Psychol Med. 2021;51(6):894-901. doi:10.1017/S0033291721001185Schultze-Lutter F, Schmidt SJ, Theodoridou A.Psychopathology-a precision tool in need of re-sharpening.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:446. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00446Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Learn about mental health.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Rosenström T, Gjerde LC, Krueger RF, Aggen SH, Czajkowski NO, Gillespie NA et al.Joint factorial structure of psychopathology and personality.Psychol Med. 2019 Oct;49(13):2158-2167. doi:10.1017/S00332917180029822018Locher C, Meier S, Gaab J.Psychotherapy: A world of meanings.Front Psychol. 2019;10:460. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00460
Aragona M.The influence of Max Weber on the concept of empathic understanding (Verstehen) in the psychopathology of Karl Jaspers.Hist Psychiatry.2019;30(3):283-299. doi:10.1177/0957154X19845309
Forbes MK, Sunderland M, Rapee RM, et al.A detailed hierarchical model of psychopathology: From individual symptoms up to the general factor of psychopathology.Clin Psychol Sci. 2021;9(2):139-168. doi:10.1177/2167702620954799
Fluyau D.Integrating DSM/ICD, Research Domain Criteria, and descriptive psychopathology in teaching and practice of psychiatry.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:484. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00484
Goldberg D.Psychopathology and classification in psychiatry.Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.2015 Jan;50(1):1–5. doi:10.1007/s00127-014-0924-y
Stein DJ, Palk AC, Kendler KS.What is a mental disorder? An exemplar-focused approach.Psychol Med. 2021;51(6):894-901. doi:10.1017/S0033291721001185
Schultze-Lutter F, Schmidt SJ, Theodoridou A.Psychopathology-a precision tool in need of re-sharpening.Front Psychiatry.2018;9:446. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00446
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Learn about mental health.
American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.
Rosenström T, Gjerde LC, Krueger RF, Aggen SH, Czajkowski NO, Gillespie NA et al.Joint factorial structure of psychopathology and personality.Psychol Med. 2019 Oct;49(13):2158-2167. doi:10.1017/S00332917180029822018
Locher C, Meier S, Gaab J.Psychotherapy: A world of meanings.Front Psychol. 2019;10:460. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00460
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
