I am taking PSYCH2 Abnormal Psychology. What does the term DMS-IV mean, and what type of way is this used? Thanks for your help, Gracie

-- gracie w. mcdaniel (gracie.mcdaniel@navy.mil), August 15, 2002

Answers

DSM IV is Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (of the American Psychiatric Association), 4th ed. It is used by psychiatrists to diagnose mental patients. Havea look in your local bookstore or library. Generally the diagnostic categories have a list symptoms, some number of which (e.g., 5 out of 9) the patient must present with in order to be diagnosed with that particular condition.

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), August 16, 2002.

You can find the DSM-IV criteria at various sites on the internet, for example

http://www.geocities.com/morrison94/

Most insurance companies require a DSM-IV or ICD-10 diagnosis (ICD is published by the World Health Organization), so all menthal health workers must use one or the other of these manuals for an "acceptable" diagnosis code. The criteria are also used regularly by researchers to define patient groups for research studies.

-- Hendrika Vande Kemp (hendrika@earthlink.net), August 17, 2002.