ABSTRACT
A textbook about a subject should begin with a clear definition of the subject. Unfortunately, in the case of a textbook on psychopathology, definition is difficult if not impossible. The definitions or conceptions of psychopathology and related terms such as mental disorder have been the focus of heated debate throughout the history of psychology and psychiatry, and the debate is far from over (e.g, Gorenstein, 1984: Horwitz, 2002; Widiger, 1997). Despite many variations, the debate has centered on a single overriding question-are psychopathology and related terms such as mental disorder and mental illness scientific terms that can be defined objectively and by scientific criteria or are they social constructions (Gergen, 1985) that are defined entirely by societal and cultural values? The goal of this chapter is to address this question. Addressing it early is important because readers’ views of everything they read in the rest of this book will be influenced by their views on this question.
