When it comes to psychology, there are a lot of tools and frameworks that psychologists use to understand, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders. Two widely recognized and extensively utilized classification systems that serve as the building blocks in this field are the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
In this blog, we embark on an informative journey into the world of DSM and ICD in psychology. Let’s delve into the origins, purposes, key features, and their indispensable contributions to the field of psychology.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) has a long and fascinating history that dates back over a century. It was first developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) with the aim of providing a standardized system for classifying and coding diseases and health conditions. While the ICD initially focused primarily on physical illnesses, it has evolved to encompass mental health disorders as well. WHO periodically updates the ICD. The current version, the ICD-11, was implemented on January 1, 2022. The previous version, the ICD-10, was introduced in 1990.
PURPOSE:
As per the Theory of Love, Sternberg proposed 8 types or kinds of love depending on the presence, absence, or even the combination of these three components of love.
To maintain the perfect balance in a relationship all three components of love- Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment must be present. Too much presence of only one component or total absence of the other will always lead way to an unbalanced relationship.
KEY FEATURES:
Diagnostic Criteria: The ICD provides detailed diagnostic criteria for a wide range of mental and behavioral disorders. These criteria help clinicians in making accurate and consistent diagnoses by outlining the primary symptoms, duration, and other key features of each disorder.
Classification of Disorders: The ICD categorizes mental and behavioral disorders into different chapters, each addressing specific diagnostic categories.
Global Applicability: The ICD is used worldwide as a common framework for diagnosing mental and physical illness.
Regular Revisions: The WHO periodically revises and updates the ICD to ensure that the classification system remains relevant, accurate, and up to date.
THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE ICD
The current version of the ICD is the ICD-11. It was accepted by the World Health Assembly in May 2019 and officially came into use in January 2022.
Within the ICD-11, each mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorder listed includes a description with an explanation of meaning that can be accessed through the website. Here’s a list of a few of the disorders currently included in the ICD-11 available online:
- Anxiety or fear-related disorders
- Catatonia7
- Disorders of bodily distress or bodily experience
- Disorders due to substance use or addictive behaviors
- Disorders specifically associated with stress
- Disruptive behavior or dissocial disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Elimination disorders
- Feeding or eating disorders
- Impulse control disorders
- Mood disorders
- Neurocognitive disorders
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a classification system developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to provide a standardized framework to clinicians and psychiatrists in the United States to diagnose psychiatric illnesses. The DSM was first published by the APA in 1952 and has undergone several revisions since then. A variation of the ICD-6 created by the APA Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics was released in 1952 as the first edition of the DSM. DSM contained a glossary of descriptions of the diagnostic categories and was the first official manual of mental disorders to focus on clinical use.
PURPOSE:
The DSM covers all categories of mental health disorders for both adults and children. It contains descriptions, symptoms, and other criteria necessary for diagnosing mental health disorders. It also contains statistics concerning who is most affected by different types of illnesses, the typical age of onset, the development and course of the disorders, risk factors, and other related diagnostic issues.
KEY FEATURES:
Diagnostic Criteria: The DSM provides specific diagnostic criteria for various mental disorders. These criteria list the essential symptoms, duration, and other key features necessary for making accurate and consistent diagnoses.
Multiaxial System to Categorical Approach: Up to and including the DSM-IV-TR, the multiaxial system was used to help clinicians fully evaluate the biological, environmental, and psychological factors that can play a role in a mental health condition. However, the multiaxial system was discontinued in the DSM-5, it lists categories of disorders along with a few different related disorders. Example categories in the DSM-5 include anxiety disorders, bipolar and related disorders, depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, etc.
Cultural Considerations: The DSM recognizes the importance of cultural factors in the diagnosis of mental disorders. It assists clinicians in understanding the cultural context and its influence on the individual’s symptoms, and treatment.
Regular Revisions: The DSM undergoes revisions to improve diagnostic accuracy, enhance the reliability and validity of the diagnostic criteria, and address feedback from the scientific community.
THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE DSM
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR) was released on March 18, 2022, by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The DSM-5 was released in 2013 and the current version released in 2022 is the DSM-5-TR.
The most obvious change in the DSM is the shift from using Roman numerals to Arabic numbers in the name (i.e., it is now written as DSM-5, not DSM-V). The DSM-5 eliminated the multiaxial assessment system and adopted categorized diagnoses.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR) is an edit of the DSM-5. The DSM-5-TR uses more specific language to avoid reader confusion. The term “intellectual disability” was revised to intellectual development disorder. It also includes the addition of a new diagnosis called prolonged grief disorder.
ICD vs DSM
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) are both authoritative guidebooks for medical professionals to use for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders.
ICD: The ICD is a comprehensive classification system developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) that includes both physical and mental health. It is used globally as a standard for diagnosing and coding all diseases and health conditions.
DSM: The DSM, on the other hand, is a classification system specifically focused on mental disorders. Developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), it provides diagnostic criteria and guidelines catering to the understanding and treatment of mental health conditions.
ICD: The ICD has a global focus and is widely used in countries around the world. It is also open to the public for submissions. Compared to the DSM, the ICD is broader both in its scope and its authorship.
DSM: DSM has a rather narrow scope and authoritativeness as it’s focused on North America.
ICD: ICD provides codes for each diagnosis for insurance billing purposes.
DSM: The DSM doesn’t have its own codes, but rather, publishes the corresponding ICD codes for each mental health diagnosis.
Blog By : DEEBHA SITHTA
