The proposed revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), has reignited a protracted debate in psychiatry and clinical psychology regarding the criteria used to diagnose and classify mental disorders. Drawing on the concepts of legitimisation and hegemony, the aim of this study is to deconstruct how the authoritativeness of the DSM was discursively constructed, legitimised and consolidated over time. To fulfil this purpose, we combine a critical psychology perspective with critical discourse analysis and adopt a multi-level model of analysis that embraces the notions of genre and repertoire in scientific discourse. The materials were approached considering the following interrelated dimensions: (a) semantic macro-areas; (b) discursive strategies; and (c) linguistic means. The data set is constituted by the Forewords and Introductions of different editions of the DSM, from the DSM-I through to the DSM-5. The analysis highlights the discursive strategies that play an important role in self-legitimisation and the construction of a dominant hegemonic discourse.

Romelli, K., Frigerio, A., Colombo, M. (2016). DSM over time: From legitimisation of authority to hegemony. BIOSOCIETIES, 11(1), 1-21 [10.1057/biosoc.2015.1].

DSM over time: From legitimisation of authority to hegemony

ROMELLI, KATIA;FRIGERIO, ALESSANDRA;COLOMBO, MONICA GIANCARLA ROBERTA
2016

Abstract

The proposed revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), has reignited a protracted debate in psychiatry and clinical psychology regarding the criteria used to diagnose and classify mental disorders. Drawing on the concepts of legitimisation and hegemony, the aim of this study is to deconstruct how the authoritativeness of the DSM was discursively constructed, legitimised and consolidated over time. To fulfil this purpose, we combine a critical psychology perspective with critical discourse analysis and adopt a multi-level model of analysis that embraces the notions of genre and repertoire in scientific discourse. The materials were approached considering the following interrelated dimensions: (a) semantic macro-areas; (b) discursive strategies; and (c) linguistic means. The data set is constituted by the Forewords and Introductions of different editions of the DSM, from the DSM-I through to the DSM-5. The analysis highlights the discursive strategies that play an important role in self-legitimisation and the construction of a dominant hegemonic discourse.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
critical psychology; discourse analysis; DSM; hegemony; legitimization; mental health classification system;
DSM; mental health classification system; discourse analysis; critical psychology; legitimisation; hegemony
English
2016
11
1
1
21
none
Romelli, K., Frigerio, A., Colombo, M. (2016). DSM over time: From legitimisation of authority to hegemony. BIOSOCIETIES, 11(1), 1-21 [10.1057/biosoc.2015.1].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/83281
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