Psychiatric Semiology

Differentiation between Sign and Symptom

In psychopathology it is crucial to distinguish these basic concepts. The sign is an objective finding that can be detected by psychological assessment; it is a manifestation perceptible by the professional, such as cough, piloerection (goose bumps), sweating or tachycardia.

In contrast, the symptom is the subjective experience referred to by the patient in the interview; they are manifestations that can only be perceived, experienced and expressed by the sufferer, such as headache or general malaise, which the evaluator cannot see directly.

Trait, State and Mental Disorder

In order to make a proper diagnosis, the temporality and prevalence of the symptomatology must be differentiated.

A trait is a manifestation that a person may have at a specific moment triggered by something, but then disappears; we all have traits (momentary anxiety, sadness), but this does not constitute a pathology.

A state occurs when that manifestation, which started as a trait, is prolonged in time (for example, a sadness that lasts for days or a week).

Finally, mental disorder involves abnormal behavior with alterations of psychological functions that follow a developmental pattern and have biological and psychological repercussions; to be considered a disorder, there must be a prevalence of the minimum criteria for a specific time, usually a minimum of six months.

Summary

In psychopathology it is crucial to distinguish between sign, an objective and observable finding by the professional, and symptom, a subjective experience that can only be felt and expressed by the patient.

The temporality of the manifestations must be differentiated. A trait is a momentary reaction that disappears, while a state implies that the manifestation lasts for days or weeks.

A mental disorder is established when there is abnormal behavior with biological and psychological repercussions, following a specific pattern and maintaining a minimum temporal prevalence, generally six months.