Measuring Mental Disorders

This book is a collective work draws on the perspective of social sciences, mobilizing perspectives from the sociology of science, the history of psychiatry, medical ethnography and public policy analysis. This initiative, which has no precedent in social sciences, is surrounded by an original, if not apparently paradoxical statement: considering that the deployment of these processes, strictly formal and depersonalized, is justified in becoming the rule in a society known as "individuals".
- Presents the measurement of mental disorders (tests / scales) across the various sectors
- Determines the underpinning of this measure and its performance
- Explains the rise of these tests and its success
- Understands its impact on users

Part 1. Basic Principles: Strengths and Limitations of Psychiatric Assessment Tools1. The Spread of Psychiatric Nosography into Science: Origins and Issues of the Research on Depression (1950-1985)2. The Hamilton Scale as an Analyzer for the Epistemological Difficulties in Research on Depression Part 2. Developments: Chronicles of Successful Tests3. A Golden Standard to Evaluate OCD: On the Use of the Y-BOCS4. Objectifying Dementia: the Use of the Mini-Mental State Exam in Medical Research and Practice Part 3. Uses: the Tests in Context5. The MMSE in Practice: the Medical Relationship Reflected through the Administration of a Neuropsychological Test6. From Care to Risk Prevention: the Success of Screening Tests for Drugs at the Workplace (United States/France)