Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138:1581-1586
Copyright © 1981 by American Psychiatric Association
Teaching and learning DSM-III
AE Skodol, RL Spitzer and JB Williams
This article presents recommendations for training programs in DSM-III to
help counter feelings of apprehension expressed by many mental health
professionals over the transition to the new nomenclature and its
multiaxial evaluation system. The authors suggest educational objectives,
didactic curricula, and methods for training in the clinical application of
DSM-III and discuss supervising the use of DSM- III in patient intake and
evaluation. Thorough mastery of DSM-III should not be expected after a
limited program; learning its strengths and limitations will be a
continuing process.
