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The Relevance Of The International Classification Of Functioning, Disability And Health (Icf) To Mental Disorders And Their Treatment, Geoffrey M. Reed, William D. Spaulding, Lynn F. Bufka

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article examines the potential usefulness of the ICF in the treatment of mental disorders.We suggest that there is a poor fit between the nature of mental disorders and the dominant model of health care based on the treatment of acute medical illness. An overemphasis on diagnosis has contributed to a bias toward pharmacotherapy and underuse of psychological treatments for people with mental disorders. Mental disorders are more accurately conceptualized as chronic conditions, in which the person’s pattern of functioning rather than diagnosis is most important in determining what services are needed. This is particularly the case for people with …