Criteria for Defining Psychological Disorders

In psychology, a psychological disorder is defined as a syndrome characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior. This disturbance reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning. When evaluating whether a behavior is indicative of a psychological disorder, it is essential to consider various criteria.

Which of the following criteria is typically used to determine whether a behavior is classified as a psychological disorder?