Basics Prognosis and Diagnosis in Mental Health By Kathryn Rudlin, LCSW Kathryn Rudlin, LCSW LinkedIn Kathyrn Rudlin, LCSW, a writer and therapist in California specializes in counseling and education for teenagers with mothers who are emotionally disconnected. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 16, 2021 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Adah Chung Fact checked by Adah Chung LinkedIn Adah Chung is a fact checker, writer, researcher, and occupational therapist. Learn about our editorial process Print nullplus / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is a Prognosis in Mental Health? How a Prognosis Is Determined Types of Prognoses Why Prognosis Is Important Factors That Affect Prognosis A Word From Verywell The term prognosis refers to making an educated guess about the expected outcome of any kind of health treatment, including mental health, in essence making a prediction of the process an individual may have to go through in order to heal, and the extent of healing expected to take place. A prognosis is like a prediction of how the diagnosis will affect you. What's likely to happen in the future. What Is a Prognosis in Mental Health? When making a prognosis, your doctors are trying to predict your chance of Complications and associated health issues RecoveryRecurrenceSurvival They are also trying to determine how your mental health condition will affect your quality of life. Use diagnosis for an ID of someone's current conditionUse prognosis for that condition's implications for future healthPeople often confuse the terms prognosis and diagnosis. The difference between the two is that while a prognosis is a guess as to the outcome of treatment, a diagnosis is actually identifying the problem and giving it a nameSimply put, a prognosis is a prediction, whereas a diagnosis states what's already there. How a Prognosis Is Determined may also ask if there are any characteristics of the patient that make it more likely that they will have a particularly good or bad outcome. Several factors can affect a person's prognosis. These factors include: Age at onset:GenderMedical history and possible comorbiditiesMental health historyFamily medical and mental health history: Typically if no one in your immediate biological family has the conditionType and severity of symptoms: acute onset predicts a better prognosis than if your symptoms a gradual.Particular symptoms and how long they have been presentTreatment or treatments usedResponse to treatmentSupport system:acute onset typically predicts a better prognosis. Let's use schizophrenia as an example. Types of Prognoses The following categories of prognoses are typically used: Excellent:Good: Implies that Fair:Poor:Guarded: A mental health professional may use this term when they don't have enough information to predict the outcome. Why Prognosis Is Important A prognosis can give you some idea of what treatment strategies or options are available. Prognosis may be given before any treatment is undertaken, so that the patient or client can weigh the benefits of different treatment options. Factors That Affect Prognosis Different factors can affect the prognosis of each individual. These factors include: AgeGenderMedical and/or family historyHow the disease or disorder is presentingResponse to treatmentParticular symptoms and how long they have been presentWhether or not there are other illnesses or conditions presentWhat treatment or treatments are being used A Word From Verywell Everyone is different, and prognoses are just educated guesses. They are not guaranteed outcomes. Working with a trusted physician and/or therapist can help you or your loved one manage your mental health condition. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 1 Source Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Patton GC, Coffey C, Romaniuk H, et al. The prognosis of common mental disorders in adolescents: a 14-year prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2014;383(9926):1404-1411. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62116-9 Speak to a Therapist Online Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.