PSYCHOPATHOLOGY - AN EDGELESS RAZOR

The declining value of schneiderian first-rank symptoms (FRS) in diffe rentiating between the two major functional psychoses has raised quest ions as to the utility of psychopathological concepts. In current diag nostic systems such as DSMs, psychopathological criteria and chiefly s chneiderian symptoms have been used for nosographical purposes. It mus t be clear that this nosographically oriented use of psychopathology i s only one aspect of the psychopathological enterprise. Indeed, while clinical psychopathology is essentially aimed at the identification of symptoms that are significant in view of nosographical distinctions, the specificendeavor of general psychopathology might be conceived as the organization of internal experiences around a core of meaningfulne ss, regardless of nosographical attributions. We seek to legitimate th e value of psychopathological investigation and concepts as independen t from any nosographical concern, and propose the concept of ''psychop athological organizers'' as synthesizing schemes of comprehension aime d at connecting different pathological experiences into unitary cores of meaningfulness. (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company