DSM-5 Field Trials Generate Mixed Results

Preliminary results are mixed for the recently completed field trials for the upcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), according to the first public presentation of the findings here at the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA’s) 2012 Annual Meeting.

DSM-5 Field Trials Generate Mixed Results
Deborah Brauser

May 8, 2012 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — Preliminary results are mixed for the recently completed field trials for the upcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), according to the first public presentation of the findings here at the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA’s) 2012 Annual Meeting.

Diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children were found to be very reliable.

Conditions that did not do well included major depressive disorder (MDD), in adults and in children, and general anxiety disorder (GAD).

According to Darrel Regier, MD, vice-chair of the DSM-5 task force, the poor scores for MDD may be attributable to “co-travelers,” such as PTSD, major cognitive disorder, or even a substance use disorder, which often occur concurrently with depression.

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