Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000) is a compendium of mental disorders, a listing of the criteria used to diagnose them, and a detailed system for their definition, organization, and classification. Put simply, it is the primary diagnostic manual for mental health professionals in the United States and much of the Western world. Diagnosis refers to the identification and labeling of a mental disorder by examination and analysis. Mental health professionals diagnose individuals based on the symptoms that they report experiencing and the signs of illness with which they present. The DSM-IV-TR aids professionals in understanding and diagnosing mental disorders through its provision of explicit diagnostic criteria and an official classification system. Keywords: diagnosis; classification; mental illness; psychopathology