The overall long term objectives of this project are to:1) provide a critical review of knowledge and trends in the development of diagnosis, classification and reporting about mental disorders, substance abuse and psychosocial factors affecting health and health care.2) promote (and coordinate) research on unresolved issues identified by the critical reviews so as to obtain knowledge necessary for mental health program development.3) develop widely acceptable instruments for the assessment, diagnosis, classification and monitoring of mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse in individuals and communities so as to-further international collaboration in research and service development-allow an evaluation of diagnostic and classification systems used in different settings-facilitate comparative research on the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and of problems related to alcohol and drug abuse. Considerable progress towards these goals has been made in the course of the WHO/ADAMHA Joint Project on Diagnosis and Classification of Mental Disorders, Alcohol- and Drug-Related Problems. In the light of these advances and new needs this application seeks funds for : (1) the establishment of a system of support for centers participating in reliability and clinical reappraisal studies and other users of the WHO/ADAMHA instruments; and (2) completion of the development of the 'family"""""""" of instruments for the assessment, diagnosis and classification of disorders related to substance abuse and mental or neurological illness.
These aims will be pursued by the establishment and maintenance of a network of experts and collaborating centers which will carry out collaborative studies coordinated by WHO. This network, and other mechanisms, will also be used to promote the use of the classification and instruments developed by the project. In support of the above goals the project will produce and publish critical reviews of knowledge and trends worldwide.
