Within the framework of CSS public lectures at

at . Javakhishvili  Tbilisi State University

Assistant Professor of the University of West Florida

Dr. S Brian Hood

  will deliver public lecture on

 Conceptual Problems in Psychopathology: 

The Case of Comorbidity 

Date:            June 26, at 17:00 pm

Venue:            3 Chavchavadze Avenue

                         TSU II building, III floor,

                         CSS Library (room #336)

Working Language:       English

Attendance:      Free for all interested

Press Release                                             

RSVP required till June 25, 19:00 pm.

Please send us confirmation on following e-mail address: dlezhava@ucss.ge

Abstract of the lecture:

Roughly, 'comorbidity' in psychiatry refers to the presence of two (or more) psychological disorders in a single person or the positive correlation between two (or more) diagnoses of psychological disorders in a population. That is, 'comorbidity' can be thought of as applying to individuals or populations. In this talk I will discuss the implications of these two different ways of understanding comorbidity. My focus, however, will be on the following three items. First, I consider the conceptual problem that if we do not treat psychological disorders as "real" causes of behavior, i.e., if we think of them as just names of observable behavior, then comorbidity rates will dramatically increase. Second, I argue that if we conceive of psychological disorders as existing on a spectrum (rather than being discrete taxa), the prevalence of comorbidity is not only explicable; it is, ironically, rendered unproblematic. Third, I consider the ethical problems associated with our current approaches to comorbidity and medication