Process and Content of DSM-5

Abstract

The third edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was a highly successful revision in large part because it was tremendously innovative. The authors of the fifth edition intended their version to provide another paradigm shift. However, the process of its construction was riddled with problems and controversies. Discussed herein is the presence of the internet, confidentiality contracts, no gold standard, and the inadequate documentation of empirical support. Also discussed was the failed attempt to provide a paradigm shift. Recommendations for the construction of future editions of the diagnostic manual are provided.