The concept of "psychological diagnosis" and its application in the diagnostics of abnormal mental development

The article is devoted to the problems of psychological diagnosis of developmental disorders in children. It is emphasized that the main task of psychological diagnostics is to develop the way of practical assistance to a particular child, taking into account the unique picture of his development. The concept and levels of psychological diagnosis are analyzed from the standpoint of the cultural-historical approach – symptomatic, functional and systemic. The importance of relying in the process of psychological diagnosis of abnormal development on ideas about age norms and the psychological structure of the defect is noted. Approaches to the dichotomy "normal – abnormal development" are analyzed. The concept of the age norm as a socio-cultural model is defined. The concept "psychological structure of the defect" is revealed. The stages of psychological diagnostics of abnormal development and the use of assistance in the process of its implementation are described.