DSM 5: Controversial Acceptance and Ongoing Challenges

Abstract

Mental health disorders effect almost 25% of Americans in a given year and is the leading cause of disability. These disorders can cause substantial detrimental changes in society due to lack of proper screening principles and comprehensive care. Disparities in health, education, employment, wealth and socio-economic standings are quite apparent in the psychiatric population. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association has published a book, which organized mental health pathologies into distinct groups to further standardize the way these illnesses can be categorized. The latest version of this manual, the DSM 5, was published in 2013 and it includes specific changes compared to the DSM IV. There continues to be still criticism aimed at the DSM 5 due its focus on symptomology instead of biological underpinnings of mental illness. Ultimately, the DSM 5 is an effort to further standardize diagnosis of mental illness among all populations with further reduction in mental health disparities.