dSm

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a reference work published by the American Psychiatric Association that provides standardized criteria for the classification and diagnosis of mental disorders. It is used by clinicians, researchers, educators, and insurers to communicate about diagnoses, guide research, and support treatment planning. The DSM aims to improve reliability across professionals and settings and to facilitate systematic study of mental disorders.

Since its first edition in 1952, the DSM has evolved through multiple editions. DSM-III (1980) introduced explicit diagnostic criteria and a shift toward a descriptive, symptom-based framework. The DSM-5, released in 2013, eliminated the multi-axial system, reorganized disorder categories, and incorporated updates to criteria and terminology. DSM-5-TR, published in 2022, provides further refinements to diagnostic criteria and language and aligns coding with the ICD-10-CM system for billing and statistical purposes.

Disorders in the DSM are organized into broad categories such as neurodevelopmental disorders, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, bipolar and related disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, somatic symptom and related disorders, and others. Diagnoses are based on defined criteria, including symptom presence, duration, and impairment, with optional specifiers and severity ratings. The DSM also incorporates cultural considerations and descriptive context to aid clinically relevant interpretation.

Limitations and criticisms accompany its use. Debates persist about reliability and validity, potential cultural bias, and the tendency to medicalize normal variation or overlapping symptomatology. Critics note that diagnostic thresholds can affect prevalence estimates and that the DSM does not address etiology or treatment. Proponents argue that it provides a practical, standardized framework for communication, research, and clinical decision-making.