Health
Psychiatric manual to incorporate biological measures into mental health diagnoses
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is moving to integrate biological criteria, addressing long-standing criticisms over its reliance on subjective symptoms.
The short version
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is planning to incorporate biological data into its diagnostic criteria for mental illnesses.
- Clinicians and researchers use the DSM worldwide to diagnose patients and direct scientific research.
- Prior editions omitted biological measures because researchers considered the underlying biology of mental illness too preliminary, leading to criticism regarding diagnostic validity.
Key facts
- The DSM is widely used globally by clinicians for patient diagnoses and by scientists to guide research.[Ars Technica]
- The manual historically excluded biological data due to the early stage of mental health biological research.[Ars Technica]
- The DSM-5, released in 2013, faced criticism from researchers and clinicians for lacking objective biological measures.[Ars Technica]
What remains uncertain
- The specific biological measures and criteria being integrated into the manual remain unknown due to incomplete reporting.[Ars Technica]