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Psychology vocabulary · Assessment and Diagnosis

Symptom

Meaning in psychology, with examples

/ˈsɪmptəm/nounCore term

In psychology, symptom means: A change in thinking, feeling, behaviour or the body that a person experiences and reports, and that may point to a health problem.

In Turkish: belirti, semptom

How it is used

Used in clinical interviews, case notes and diagnostic criteria. Clinicians ask about the onset, duration and severity of symptoms and describe symptoms as improving, worsening or persisting.

Example sentences

  1. For this diagnosis, symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

  2. Her main symptoms are poor sleep, irritability and constant worry.

Common collocations

  • report symptoms
  • symptom severity
  • physical symptoms
  • core symptoms
  • symptoms persist
  • diagnosisThe process of identifying which mental or physical condition explains a person's difficulties, or the name of the condition that is identified.
  • assessmentThe process of gathering information about a person through interviews, observation and tests in order to understand their difficulties and plan help.
  • mental disorderA clinically significant pattern of disturbance in thinking, emotion or behaviour that causes distress or problems in daily functioning, as defined in systems such as DSM-5 and ICD-11.
  • screenTo check a group of people, usually with a short questionnaire or interview, to identify those who may have a problem and need a fuller assessment.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Assessment and Diagnosis

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.