The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including with new information specifically addressed to individuals in the European Economic Area. As described in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences.

Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.

×
No Access

Use of DSM-III axis IV in clinical practice: rating etiologically significant stressors

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.146.1.61

This study compared the etiologically significant stressors listed on DSM-III axis IV (severity of psychosocial stressors) with life events elicited by the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Interview (PERI). Multiaxial evaluations of a diagnostically heterogeneous group of 362 patients were made, and all patients were subsequently administered the PERI by interviewers blind to the clinical assessments. The results indicated that axis IV functions well as a shorthand method for identifying the more severe psychosocial stressors. However, the DSM- III requirement that the stressor be important in the development or exacerbation of the current disorder resulted in discrepancies between the axis IV and PERI assessments.

Access content

To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.