Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States.

This book is currently in its fourth edition; hence, the most common reference to it in current literature is "DSM-IV." The most recent version is the 'Text Revision' of the DSM-IV, also known as the "DSM-IV-TR".

While widely accepted among psychologists and psychiatrists, the manual has proved controversial in its listing of certain characteristics as mental disorders. The most notorious example is the listing in the DSM-III of homosexuality as a mental disorder; a classification that was removed with the publication of the DSM-IV revision in the 1960s.

See also:

• International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems

External link

• DSM-IV-TR online