Allen Frances

Allen Frances, M.D., San Diego/USA


Zur Person
seit 2005 emeritierter Professor für Psychiatrie und Verhaltensforschung. Er lehrte an der Duke University, an der er von 1991 bis 1998 als Dekan der Abteilung für Psychiatrie tätig war, und gilt als einer der einflussreichsten Psychiater Amerikas. Während seiner akademischen Laufbahn forschte Frances in zahlreichen klinischen Bereichen wie Persönlichkeitsstörungen, chronische Depressionen, Angststörungen, Schizophrenie, AIDS und Psychotherapie. Als Co-Autor war er maßgeblich an der Entwicklung des DSM-III und DSM-IV beteiligt. Gründer und Herausgeber des Journal of Personality Disorders und des Journal of Psychiatric Practice. Redaktionsmitglied verschiedener Zeitschriften (u. a.) Comprehensive Psychiatry, Journal of Psychotherapy and Behavioral Assessment, Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, Dynamic Psychotherapy, International Journal of Eclectic Psychotherapy. Er veröffentlichte zahlreiche Artikel in verschiedenen Fachzeitschriften.

Aktuelle Publikationen
Frances, A. (in press). Robert Spitzer, The Most Influential Psychiatrist of his time. Lancet Psychiatry.

Frances, A. (2016). Entrenched reductionisms: The Bête Noire of Psychiatry. History of Psychology, 19, 1, 57–5.

Frances, A. (2016). A report card on the utility of psychiatric diagnosis. World Psychiatry, 15,1.

Frances, A. (2015). Lessons From DSM-5. Psychopathology Review PR, 2, 1, 1-2. ISSN 2051-8315.

Frances, A. (2013). Normal. Gegen die Inflation psychiatrischer Diagnosen. Köln: DuMont.

Keynote
Titel: Who Is Sick? Who Is Not? – Die entscheidende Rolle psychiatrischer Diagnosen und ihre gravierende Mängel
Datum: Donnerstag, 13. Oktober 2016
Uhrzeit: 12.15 – 13.00 Uhr

Abstract
I have reviewed all of the definitions of mental disorder and have written one myself, but can assure you that none of them is very meaningful. The definitions can’t do either of the two tasks they are meant to do: 1) determine which syndromes belong in a diagnostic manual; and, 2) which individuals qualify for a diagnosis of mental disorder. ‚Mental disorder‘ and ‚Normal‘ are opposing terms which (like ‚Disease‘ and ‚Health‘) are familiar enough in casual speech, but impossible to define with operational precision. We must admit that here is no clear or permanent boundary between them and even the fuzzy boundary is elastic and easily shifted by local custom and changing social context. There is also no epistemological consensus about the nature of mental disorder. There are three contending models: Schizophrenia as disease, equivalent to diabetes? Schizophrenia as fallible and subjective (but nonetheless very useful) construct? Or Schizophrenia as myth, invented by psychiatrists? We will discuss how these different conceptual understandings and misunderstandings of mental disorder have affected practical decisions related to classification, diagnosis, and treatment. The overall theme will be the great value of embracing doubt both in creating the diagnostic manual and in diagnosing the individual patient.

Workshop
„DSM V und ICD 10 – systemische Zweifel an Diagnose-Systemen“
Datum: Freitag, 14. Oktober 2016
Uhrzeit: 14.30 – 16.15 Uhr