Mastering DSM-5: Diagnosing Disorders in Children, Adolescents, and Adults

The DSM-IV was published in 1994 and updated by the APA’s DSM-IV-TR in 2000. Since then the DSM has become the “gold standard” and the “mental health bible” for those practicing in mental health. With the publication of the DSM-5 in May 2013, the new standard for the diagnosis of Psychological and Emotional Disorder has been established. Some disorders are eliminated completely; others are reclassified; and some are subsumed under other disorders. New classifications are also established to clarify appropriate diagnostic criteria and allow for more effective treatment planning. Many of these have generated considerable controversy and debate among healthcare professionals, even before the manual’s release. Other disorders have undergone minor changes in order to reflect the current thinking and new research available. It’s imperative that all mental health professionals update their understanding of the APA’s new edition of the DSM to effectively identify, diagnose, and classify behavioral and mental health issues in individuals. The Second Edition reviews many of the more difficult differential diagnoses.