Am J Psychiatry 1992; 149:112-117
Copyright © 1992 by American Psychiatric Association
DSM-IV and new diagnostic categories: holding the line on proliferation
HA Pincus, A Frances, WW Davis, MB First and TA Widiger
Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York.
The authors discuss aspects of the decision-making process for including
"new" diagnostic categories in DSM-IV. They detail the different kinds of
new categories proposed for inclusion in DSM-IV and discuss the risks and
benefits of incorporating them. The authors comment on whether new
diagnostic categories should be included in official nosologies as a
stimulus for research or as a culmination of research. They also highlight
problems with "sunsetting" diagnoses. The criteria for change in DSM-IV--a
way to deal with the expanding array of proposals for additional diagnostic
entities--are discussed. The authors also offer a series of specific
examples of the different kinds of new categories being considered for
inclusion in DSM-IV.
