Dimensions of Psychological Problems: Replacing Diagnostic Categories with a More Science-Based and Less Stigmatizing Alternative

This book by Benjamin B. Lahey and Stephen P. Hinshaw presents a bold and timely rethinking of how psychological problems are understood, classified, and addressed. It serves as a manifesto for a paradigm shift away from rigid diagnostic categories toward a dimensional, evidence-based view of mental health. Challenging long-standing assumptions embedded in systems such as the DSM and ICD, the authors argue that psychological difficulties are not discrete diseases but common human experiences that vary in degree rather than kind. Grounded in contemporary research, the book promotes a less stigmatizing, more scientifically coherent framework that reflects how psychological traits and problems actually develop and co-occur across the lifespan.

Key Features

• Proposes a dimensional model of psychological problems rather than categorical diagnoses
• Challenges traditional psychiatric classification systems (DSM and ICD)
• Emphasizes continuity between “normal” and “abnormal” psychological functioning
• Frames psychological problems as common, human, and non-stigmatizing experiences
• Integrates genetic, environmental, and developmental influences
• Highlights strong correlations among different psychological problems
• Introduces a hierarchical model of causes, from broad risk factors to specific mechanisms
• Strongly grounded in empirical data and modern psychological science
• Relevant for psychologists, psychiatrists, researchers, and advanced students
• Encourages major shifts in clinical thinking, research, and mental health policy

Product Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 30, 2021
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 019760790X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0197607909