Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Also written as: DSM — Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The American Psychiatric Association's authoritative classification system for mental health diagnoses, used as the standard reference in U.S. behavioral health clinical documentation.
Full Definition
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, provides standardized diagnostic criteria for mental disorders and is the primary reference for clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, and insurance billing in U.S. behavioral health settings. The current edition is the DSM-5-TR (Text Revision, 2022). Editors working on clinical documents must ensure the edition referenced is current and accurately cited. Diagnostic codes from the DSM align with—but are not identical to—ICD-10-CM codes used for billing. 'DSM' without an edition number is acceptable for general references, but specific diagnostic criteria citations must include the edition (e.g., DSM-5-TR).
Usage
Usage note: Always specify the edition when citing diagnostic criteria. Do not use 'DSM-IV' or 'DSM-IV-TR' in current clinical documents without explicitly noting it is a historical reference.
In Context
- "The diagnostic assessment referenced DSM-5-TR criteria to support the primary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, recurrent, moderate." — Psychiatric evaluation report
- "Editors should flag any document that cites DSM-IV criteria without acknowledging the superseding edition." — Editorial style guide for behavioral health publishers