Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools in the field of mental health and is published by the American Psychiatric Association. Its development dates back to the 1950s, and revisions are periodically made to reflect the latest research and changes in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). This entry (a) provides a historical background of the DSM, (b) explains the implementation of the multiaxial system of assessment, (c) describes the changes made in the DSM-IV-TR, (d) gives a brief overview of substance-related disorders within the DSM-IV-TR, and (e) outlines several issues in the area of substance-related disorders that deserve further investigation for future publications of the DSM.