DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2026.10753 ISSN: 0007-1250
Re-thinking the diagnostic hierarchy in psychiatry
Robert Harland, Jacqueline Phillips-Owen, Lisa Conlan, Gareth S. OwenSummary
There has been much recent debate about diagnosis in neurodevelopmental disorders, both within and outside of psychiatry. Using the examples of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, we argue for the virtues of the clinical diagnostic hierarchy to improve formulation and make better decisions about treatment.