Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), pronounced /daɪəɡˈnɒstɪk ænd stəˈtɪstɪkəl mænˈjuːəl ɒv ˈmɛntəl dɪsˈɔːrdərz/, is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that includes all currently recognized mental health disorders. The DSM provides a comprehensive classification system for mental disorders, and is widely used by mental health professionals across the globe.
Etymology
The term "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" is derived from its function. "Diagnostic" refers to its use in diagnosing mental health conditions, "Statistical" refers to its use in tracking and coding such conditions for statistical purposes, and "Mental Disorders" refers to the conditions it covers.
History
The DSM was first published in 1952, and has been revised several times since. The most recent edition, the DSM-5, was published in 2013. Each edition has expanded on the previous, adding new disorders and refining the definitions and criteria of existing ones.
Use
The DSM is used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders. The criteria are designed to facilitate an objective assessment of symptom presentations in a variety of clinical settings- inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinical, private practice, and primary care.
Related Terms
- Mental Disorder: A mental disorder is a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning.
- American Psychiatric Association: The American Psychiatric Association is an organization of psychiatrists working together to ensure humane care and effective treatment for all persons with mental illness, including substance use disorders.
- DSM-5: The DSM-5 is the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It was published in 2013 and includes significant changes from the previous version, the DSM-IV-TR.
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