DESCRIPTION: 

The new edition is the product of over 10 years of work by hundreds of international experts in all aspects of mental health. The manual is used by clinicans and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders, and this edition provides an improved version in order to yeild better diagnoses, treatment, and research. The criteria are concise and explicit, intended to facilitate an objective assessment of symptom presentations in a variety of clinical settings -- inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinical, private practice, and primary care. New features include chapter organization reflecting a lifespan approach, as well as age-related factors specific to diagnosis. This revised structure recognizes symptoms that span multiple diagnostic categories. The latest findings in neuroimaging and genetics have been integrated into each disorder along with gender and cultural considerations. Specific criteria have been streamlined, consolidated, or clarified to be consistent with clinical practice. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, is the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and relevant resource for clinical practice available today.