Gender Bias in the DSM

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a classification system of psychiatric disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The impact of gender stereotypes and debate regarding the sensitivity to gender-related issues remain some of the most controversial issues in each revision of the manual. This entry describes the DSM and the impact of conceptions of gender on its editions. It also reviews potential sources of bias relating to gender in the creation and implementation of diagnostic criteria. Last, it describes how more recent conceptions of gender have affected relevant diagnoses within the DSM.

History of the DSM

The need for a classification system for psychiatric diagnoses arose in the late 19th century. At that time, researchers and clinicians in the United ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles