The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordershas its origins in the military system for classifying disorders, and evolved into a manual that has coordination with other systems and manuals. The DSM-5 already has one major change: No more roman numerals! This revision will eventually have taken over 13 years, as the manual revision began in 2000, and is to be published in May of 2013.
The operative agency is the DSM-5 Task Force and Work Group, which includes the inputs and work of over 600 international mental health experts. In addition, inputs are being encouraged from clinicians, administrators, research personnel, and even individuals or family members who are dealing with mental disorders.
The DSM-5 revision is under the auspices of the American Psychiatric Association and is organized into a board of trustees, the DSM-5 Task Force, work groups and study groups.
The work groups have specific topics which include ADHA and Disruptive behavior, eating, mood, anxiety, neurocognitive, neurodevelopmental, personality, child and adolescent, psychotic, sexual and gender, sleep/wake, somatic symptom and substance related disorders. Also, the anxiety work group covers obsessive-compulsive, post traumatic, and dissociative disorders.
The study groups cover diagnostic spectra, lifespan developmental approaches, gender and cross cultural issues, psychiatric and general medical interface, impairment and disability, and diagnostic assessment instruments.
The DSM-5 Task Force includes the 13 chairs of the diagnostic work group, along with major experts in research and epidemiology.
The major changes in the process of categorizing and defining mental disorders include improved diagnosis criteria that account for scientific and knowledge advancements. The needs of the patients are receiving more focus. And improved accuracy, validity and usefulness of the information is a goal. Gender and cultural sensitivity is receiving special exploration and attention as it is shown that ethnicity, gender and race have an impact on diagnosing mental illness.
A visit to the DSM-5 website will direct the interested professional or layperson through the processes that have been going on. The website also has information about each DSM-5 task force member, study group, and work group as well as news and special topics. Each subject that is under revision has a link to detailed information that the professional or layperson can review before formulating comments.
Of particular interest is the comment period which is open to all, and which ends on April 20, 2010. After April 20, the site will be for viewing only. There is a log in process that will guide the visitor to where comments can be made.
The DSM-5 Website Home Page
