Problem: The DSM's strengths lie in its ubiquity. It is available for all medical/mental health professionals to use. It has a standard diagnostic criteria that provides professionals a framework to determine what may/may not be the issue with a client. Knowing what issue a client is struggling with informs their treatment plan. The DSM also has limitations. One of the biggest limitations is that the DSM uses the disease model of diagnosis. When viewing mental health struggles as a singularly internal problem, the practitioner neglects to take into consideration the external factors that play a role in mental illness. The disease model of diagnosis also contributes to social injustice by supporting diagnoses that are over/under-represented in certain populations. Oppositional defiance disorder may be over-represented in populations of color whereas ADHD may be under-represented in the female population. This type of over/under-representation is problematic in that it denies treatment and assigns labels that carry stigma. Repy to. Need Assignment Help?