STEP 2 CK Content Outline

Mental Disorders

Health and Health Maintenance

Early identification and intervention (eg, suicide potential, depression, alcohol/substance abuse, family involvement in schizophrenia)

Mechanisms of Disease

Biologic markers of mental disorders and mental retardation syndromes
Intended/unintended effects of therapeutic interventions, including effects of drugs on neurotransmitters

Diagnosis

Mental disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence (eg, mental retardation; communication disorders; pervasive developmental disorders; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; disruptive disorders; tic disorders; elimination disorders)
Substance-related disorders (eg, alcohol and other substances)
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
Mood disorders (eg, bipolar disorders; major unipolar depressive disorders; dysthymic disorder; mood disorder due to a general medical condition; medication-induced mood disorder)
Anxiety disorders (eg, panic disorder; phobia; obsessive-compulsive disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder; generalized anxiety disorder; acute stress disorder; separation anxiety disorder; anxiety due to a general medical condition; substance-induced anxiety disorder)
Somatoform disorders (eg, factitious disorder; somatization disorder; pain disorder; conversion disorder; hypochondriasis)
Other disorders/conditions (eg, sexual and gender identity disorders; personality disorders; child, spouse, elder abuse; eating disorders; adjustment disorders; dissociative disorders; psychological factors affecting medical conditions)

Principles of Management
(With emphasis on topics covered in Diagnosis)