Rethinking Madness: The Case for a Dimensional View of Psychopathology
Nancy McWilliams, PhD, ABPP
The intentionally “neo-Kraepelinian” orientation (categorical concepts, with present-versus-absent criteria) of the current DSM and ICD taxonomies are in some ways inconsistent with clinical experience. In the DSM, for example, there are only a limited number of conditions labeled as psychotic. Many clinicians, in contrast, have viewed psychopathology dimensionally, inferentially, and contextually, using the term “psychotic” in broader ways. In that tradition, this talk will argue for a psychotic level of many psychological conditions that bring individuals to treatment, not merely the schizophrenic illnesses and psychotic mood disorders. Emphasis will be put on the clinical value of construing psychopathology dimensionally.
Nancy McWilliams teaches at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology and practices in Lambertville, New Jersey. She is author of Psychoanalytic Diagnosis (1994, rev. ed. 2011), Psychoanalytic Case Formulation (1999), and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (2004) and is associate editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, 2nd ed. (2017). A former president of Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of the American Psychological Association, she has been featured in three APA videos of master clinicians. She is on the Board of Trustees of the Austen Riggs Center. Her books are available in 20 languages; she lectures widely both nationally and internationally.
Learning Objectives
Upon conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Compare and contrast a dimensional, inferential, and contextual conceptualization of psychosis with contemporary descriptive and categorical diagnostic conventions.
- Name three psychopathologies for which there is evidence of their existing along a spectrum from healthy to psychotic.
- Apply to their therapeutic efforts three clinical implications of viewing psychotic processes as on a continuum with more normal psychologies.
1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ hour is offered for watching this presentation via Zoom. Ethos will be implemented for all post presentation surveys. To document your attendance, please text the code given at the presentation to 507-200-3010. For questions, email rstpsychgr@mayo.edu
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Statement(s)
AMA
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
APA
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the contents of the programs.
This activity is approved for a maximum of 1.00 credits. Credit is awarded only for actual instructional time.
All participants MUST complete the evaluation in order to get CME or APA Credit.
1) Text the CODE announced at the session within 48 hours to (507) 200-3010
2) Login at ce.mayo.edu and go to My Account, My Courses, Registered Courses, click Session title and START to access the required Evaluation.
-or-
Click the START button on that session page.
3) Evaluation must be completed within 2 weeks.
Disclosure Summary
As a provider accredited by Joint Accreditation Interprofessional Continuing Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Mayo Clinic School of CPD) must ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in its educational activities. Course Director(s), Planning Committee Members, Faculty, and all others who are in a position to control the content of this educational activity are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest related to the subject matter of the educational activity. Safeguards against commercial bias have been put in place. Faculty also will disclose any off label and/or investigational use of pharmaceuticals or instruments discussed in their presentation. Disclosure of these relevant financial relationships will be published in activity materials so those participants in the activity may formulate their own judgments regarding the presentation.
Listed below are individuals with control of the content of this program who have disclosed…
Relevant financial relationship(s) with industry:
None
No relevant financial relationship(s) with industry:
Olivia Bogucki, PhD, Rana Elmaghraby, MD, Bhanu Kolla, MD, Charlene Nelson (coordinator), Amber Pearson (coordinator), Lauren Phillips, MD
Speaker: Nancy McWilliams, PhD, ABPP
References to off-label usage(s) of pharmaceuticals or instruments in their presentation:
None
For disclosure information regarding Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development accreditation review committee member(s), please go here.
ATTENDANCE / CREDIT
Text the session code (provided only at the session) to 507-200-3010 within 48 hours of the live presentation to record attendance. All learners are encouraged to text attendance regardless of credit needs. This number is only used for receiving text messages related to tracking attendance. Additional tasks to obtain credit may be required based on the specific activity requirements and will be announced accordingly. Swiping your badge will not provide credit; that process is only applicable to meet GME requirements for Residents & Fellows.
TRANSCRIPT
Any credit or attendance awarded from this session will appear on your Transcript.
For disclosure information regarding Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development accreditation review committee member(s) and staff, please go here to review disclosures.

Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Forward