Hewes Library: Psychology: DSM

What is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)?

"The DSM is a manual outlining diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Currently in its fifth revision (DSM-5; APA 2013 ), the manual is widely used to classify patients and select them for research on particular disorders. The first edition of the DSM was published in 1952, in response to the apparent lack of consensus among North American psychiatrists about the criteria for various psychiatric disorders."

Bentall, R. (2006). DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders). In G. Davey, Encyclopaedic dictionary of psychology. London, UK: Routledge. Retrieved from CREDO.

"The DSM consists of three major components: diagnostic classification, diagnostic criteria sets, and descriptive text."

The diagnostic classification is the official list of mental disorders recognized in DSM. Each diagnosis includes a diagnostic code, which is typically used by individual providers, institutions, and agencies for data collection and billing purposes. These diagnostic codes are derived from the coding system used by all U.S. health-care professionals, known as the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM).

For each disorder included in DSM, a set of diagnostic criteria indicates symptoms that must be present (and for how long) as well as a list of other symptoms, disorders, and conditions that must first be ruled out to qualify for a particular diagnosis. While these criteria help increase diagnostic reliability (i.e., the likelihood that two doctors would come up with the same diagnosis when using DSM to assess a patient), it is important to remember that these criteria are meant to be used by trained professionals using clinical judgment; they are not meant to be used by the general public in a cookbook fashion.
The third area of DSM is the descriptive text that accompanies each disorder.

American Psychiatric Association. (2017). About DSM-5. Retrieved from http://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/about-dsm

Definition and Description of the DSM, from "21st Century Psychology: A Reference Handbook"
Keeley, J., Burgess, D. & Blashfield, R. (2008). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM). In S. F. Davis & W. Buskist (Eds.), 21st century psychology: A reference handbook (Vol. 2, pp. II-253-II-261). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd. doi: 10.4135/9781412956321.n79
DSM History (from APA)

DSM Editions in Hewes Library

Current Edition Available in Hewes Library

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5
Call Number: Reference Collection, Main Level: RC455.2.C4 D54 2013
Publication Date: 5th edition

DSM-5 Fact Sheets
Summarizes changes from 4th to 5th edition

Previous Editions Available in Hewes Library

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-IV-TR. (4th edition 2000)
- Reference Collection, Main Level: RC455.2.C4 D536 2000
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (3rd edition 1980)
- Reference Collection, Main Level: RC455.2.C4 A48 1980
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (2nd edition 1968)
- http://www.behaviorismandmentalhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/DSM-II.pdf
Mental disorders; diagnostic and statistical manual. (1st edition 1952)
- Reference Collection, Main Level: RC455.A63 1952

History of Editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)

Editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

DSM-I: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual: Mental Disorders (1952)
DSM-I Special Supplement: on plans for revision to better align with the International Classification of Diseases (1965)
DSM-II: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 2nd Edition (1968)
DSM-II 6th printing change: Elimination of Homosexuality as a mental disorder and substitution of the new category Sexual Orientation Disturbance (1973)
DSM-III: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition (1980)
DSM-III-R: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition—Revised (1987)
DSM-IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (1994)
DSM-IV-TR: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (2000)
DSM-V: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (2013)