ON DIAGNOSIS, PSYCHODYNAMICS AND CULTURE

The present paper explores the relationship among standard diagnostic systems, psychodynamics and cultural perspectives. It starts with a re view of the literature on how the last two domains are considered in c urrent and upcoming diagnostic systems such as DSM-III, DSM-IV and ICD -10. The authors argue that to understand fully an individual with men tal problems, it is important not only to classify the patient's abnor mal behaviour according to standard criteria, but also to explore and describe the patient's experience in terms of personal meaning and psy chosocial context, i.e. life history, family dynamics, psychodynamics, groupdynamics and cultural background. The humanstructural treatment concept developed by Gunter Ammon is used to explain the value of the case-conference approach to.diagnose a patient in a comprehensive way. For future research, the authors propose the pivotal participation of interdisciplinary teams in the diagnostic process as well as the use of qualitative methods for understanding more effectively the patient' s personal experience.