Dimensional
Dimensional (Medicine)
Dimensional (pronounced di-men-shuh-nl) is a term often used in the field of medicine and psychology to describe a continuous measure of a health condition, as opposed to a categorical measure.
Etymology
The term 'dimensional' is derived from the Latin word 'dimensio', which means 'a measuring'. In the context of medicine, it refers to the measurement of symptoms or characteristics on a continuum.
Definition
In a dimensional approach to understanding health conditions, symptoms are not simply present or absent. Instead, they are seen as existing along a continuum or dimension, from normal to abnormal. This approach can be particularly useful in understanding conditions such as depression, anxiety, and autism, where symptoms can vary widely in severity and impact.
Related Terms
- Continuum: In medicine, a continuum often refers to a range or series of related things that happen or change gradually over time.
- Categorical: This term refers to a method of measurement where individuals or items are sorted into categories or groups.
- Symptom: A symptom is a physical or mental feature that is regarded as indicating a condition of disease, particularly such a feature that is apparent to the patient.
- Depression: Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.
- Anxiety: Anxiety is a normal and often healthy emotion. However, when a person regularly feels disproportionate levels of anxiety, it might become a medical disorder.
- Autism: Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Dimensional
- Wikipedia's article - Dimensional
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