Question

Describe what the DSM-5 is and how it is organized, andexplain why social workers and mental health professionals use diagnoses and what receiving a diagnosis means (and does not mean).

Answer 1

Answer: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) is the 2013 update to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the taxonomic and diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The DSM-5 is organized into three sections, with 20 chapters that address specific disorders. The chapters are arranged based on common features among disorders. The DSM-5 dispensed with the multi-axial system used in the DSM-IV.

DSM diagnoses help social workers and other mental health professionals understand clients, guiding their interventions from an evidence-based perspective. Diagnosis helps professionals with goal setting, treatment planning, and determining a client’s prognosis. Having a common nomenclature for diagnoses also facilitates research. Despite the widespread use of the DSM, social workers should be cognizant of the ethical issues that may arise in the context of using this diagnostic tool. Diagnosis refers to a process of gathering information to understand a client’s condition, linking that information with knowledge about various cognitive, emotional, and behavioral conditions.