Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition: DSM-5 PDF

Although this edition of DSM was designed first and foremost to be a useful guide to clinical practice, as an official nomenclature it must be applicable in a wide diversity of contexts. DSM has been used by clinicians and researchers from different orientations (biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, family /systems), all of whom strive for a common language to communicate the essential characteristics of mental disorders presented by their patients.

DSM-5 is also a tool for collecting and communicating accurate public health statistics on mental disorder morbidity and mortality rates. Finally, the criteria and corresponding text serve as a textbook for students early in their profession who need a structured way to understand and diagnose mental disorders as well as for seasoned professionals encountering rare disorders for the first time.(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition: DSM-5, American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013, Page 42)