The authors surveyed U.S. psychiatrists and psychiatric residents
graduating in 1984 about their use and views of DSM-III. Although the
majority approved of DSM-III generally, 35% of the psychiatrists and 20% of
the residents said they would stop using it if it were not required.
Residents accepted DSM-III better than did practicing psychiatrists. Many
of the respondents doubted the validity of some diagnoses and stated that
many of their patients did not satisfy criteria needed for the DSM-III
diagnoses in their records. Most respondents did not use all DSM-III axes
and did not want new axes. The authors discuss the survey results and their
implications for revision of DSM-III.Abstract Teaser