Cross-Examining Psych Doctors-Tip #26-Creating Psychological Disorders

For some unknown reason, some psych doctors choose to make up their own diagnoses by “creating” modifiers or specifiers.  These doctors take it upon themselves to add modifiers or specifiers where such modifiers or specifiers are not outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).  The use of modifiers or specifiers created by the doctors results in a situation where their diagnosis is ambiguous as those creations have no generally understood meaning.  When you see a diagnosis in the doctor’s report that does not exist in the DSM, you should ask the doctor where in the DSM you can find the diagnosis they provided in the manner that they verbally described that disorder.  If you’ve done your homework correctly the doctor really doesn’t have an acceptable answer. 

Check out my blog (http://drleckart.blogspot.com).  More help can be found at my website (www.drleckartwetc.com) and in my book Psychological Evaluations In Litigation: A Practical Guide for Attorneys and Insurance Adjusters (http://drleckartwetc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/FINAL-051311.pdf)