Abstract
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5), is the leading system guiding the diagnosis of mental disorders. Accurate diagnoses of mental disorders are fundamental to guiding treatment and supportive care and have potential impacts on resources available to individuals. However, the DSM has the allure of ‘tick box’ diagnosis rather than biopsychosocial formulation and treatment planning, as well as multiple limitations impacting validity. Further, even with accurate diagnosis, there are strong concerns related to the reliability and validity of DSM diagnoses for clinical practice and research efforts. Understanding these limitations can help reduce errors and sub-optimal clinical decisions, treatment and supportive care service provision. The purpose of this primer is to assist health professionals in avoiding pitfalls by presenting five key considerations applicable to the DSM: (1) Binary Categories, (2) Comorbidity, (3) Within-Disorder Symptom Heterogeneity, (4) Physical Symptoms, (5) Distress and Impairment Criteria.Fig. 1 provides a graphical summary of the five considerations.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
9-1-2024
Volume
90
Funding Information
National Health and Medical Research Council, Investigator Fellow
School
Exercise Medicine Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences
Grant Number
NHMRC Number : APP2018070
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publisher
Elsevier
Recommended Citation
Haywood, D., Castle, D. J., & Hart, N. H. (2024). Avoiding the pitfalls of the DSM-5: A primer for health professionals. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.07.006
Comments
Haywood, D., Castle, D. J., & Hart, N. H. (2024). Avoiding the pitfalls of the DSM-5: A primer for health professionals. General Hospital Psychiatry, 90, 88-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.07.006