What is a mental/psychiatric disorder? From DSM-IV to DSM-V

• Published in: Psychological medicine Vol. 40; no. 11; pp. 1759 - 1765
• Main Authors: Stein, D. J., Phillips, K. A., Bolton, D., Fulford, K. W. M., Sadler, J. Z., Kendler, K. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.11.2010
• Subjects: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; Medical diagnosis; Mental disorder; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - classification; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - etiology; Mental Disorders - psychology; nosology; philosophy; psychiatric disorder; Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Terminology as Topic; psychiatric disorder; Mental disorder; nosology; philosophy
• ISSN: 0033-2917; 1469-8978; 1469-8978
• DOI: 10.1017/S0033291709992261

The distinction between normality and psychopathology has long been subject to debate. DSM-III and DSM-IV provided a definition of mental disorder to help clinicians address this distinction. As part of the process of developing DSM-V, researchers have reviewed the concept of mental disorder and emphasized the need for additional work in this area. Here we review the DSM-IV definition of mental disorder and propose some changes. The approach taken here arguably takes a middle course through some of the relevant conceptual debates. We agree with the view that no definition perfectly specifies precise boundaries for the concept of mental/psychiatric disorder, but in line with a view that the nomenclature can improve over time, we aim here for a more scientifically valid and more clinically useful definition.