The authors present an overview of the work in progress on DSM-IV. After
a brief historical review, they discuss the principles and multiple
purposes of the DSM-IV effort and outline the three stages of its empirical
documentation: systematic literature reviews, analysis of unpublished data,
and field trials. Next, they discuss several of the basic conceptual issues
that are implicit in revising a nomenclature. These include the definition
of mental disorder, the balance between multiple diagnosis and differential
diagnosis, the use of categorical and dimensional models of classification,
and issues involved in the construction of criteria. Finally, they
summarize the most important specific questions being reviewed by each of
the DSM-IV work groups.Abstract Teaser