title: Combining the categorical and the dimensional perspective in a diagnostic map of psychotic disorders.
abstract: We introduce a diagnostic map that was calculated by robust non-metric multidimensional scaling based on AMDP symptom profiles of patients with schizophrenic and affective disorders to demonstrate a possibility to combine the categorical and the dimensional perspective at the same time. In the diagnostic map, a manic, a depressive, and a non-affective cluster clearly emerged. At the same time, the mania dimension (r = 0.82), the depression dimension (r = 0.68), and the apathy dimension (r = 0.74) showed high multiple regression values in the map. We found substantial overlaps of the diagnostic groups with regard to the affective spectrum but irrespective of the ICD-10 classification. Within this sample, we found the association and quality of mood symptoms to be a structuring principle in a diagnostic map. We demonstrate that this approach represents a promising way of combining the categorical and the dimensional perspective. As a practical implementation of these findings, a multidimensional diagnostic map could serve as an automated diagnostic tool based on psychopathological symptom profiles.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland. d.laege@psychologie.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Läge
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Egli
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index