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DSM‐III: rationale, basic concepts, and some differences from ICD‐9
Author(s) -
Skodol A. E.,
Spitzer R. L.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1982.tb00306.x
Subject(s) - icd 10 , psychology , rubric , medical diagnosis , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , dsm 5 , nosology , classification of mental disorders , psychiatry , clinical psychology , cognitive psychology , mental health , medicine , prevalence of mental disorders , mathematics education , pathology
This paper reviews the major innovations in approach to psychiatric diagnosis incorporated into DSM‐III. These include the classification of mental disorders according to shared descriptive clinical features, the use of specified diagnostic criteria for making psychiatric diagnoses, and the multiaxial system of patient evaluation. It describes the principal revisions of diagnostic concepts in DSMIII from several areas of classification, such as Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders, that account for some of the differences between DSM‐III and ICD‐9. The rationale for the changes in approach and in basic diagnostic concepts at the time of DSM‐III's publication is presented. More recent evidence concerning the validity of newly‐conceptualized categories is also included. Summary To summarize, the differences in diagnostic categories that exist between DSM‐III and ICD‐9 may not be as extensive as would appear at first glance. Those that do exist are more with respect to diagnostic concepts that underlie the classification than between the rubrics themselves. One task now is to assess the extent of differences that would have an effect on statistical comparisons between the United States and other countries, and to answer the question can DSM‐III categories and codes be easily and reliably translated into the corresponding ICD‐9 code? But beyond statistical evaluations, the conceptual differences in major areas such as Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders should be assessed for their validity. Our hope is that the innovations in approach incorporated in DSM‐III and the revisions in diagnostic concepts will prove helpful in making psychiatric diagnosis a more rational and clinically useful enterprise.