Classification and assessment of mental disorders The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) system is a classification tool widely used in North America. This workbook covers many different disorders such as: learning, developmental, anxiety, and substance disorders. The DSM uses specific diagnostic criteria to group together patterns of abnormal behavior that share common characteristics. The DSM also uses a multiaxial rating system that includes the following: clinical syndromes, personality disorders and mental retardation, general medical conditions, psychosocial and environmental problems, and global assessment of functioning. The DSM system uses specified diagnostic criteria and a multiaxial system to provide an understanding of the person's functioning. The DSM contains over two hundred specific diagnostic categories classified under eighteen major headings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay For example, the category of anxiety disorders contains subtypes, namely panic disorders, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The DSM describes specific criteria for each mental disorder. Disorders are also classified in terms of exclusion criteria. Using these criteria, diagnoses are understood and diagnostic errors are avoided. The DSM has three weaknesses. These weaknesses include questions about reliability (how consistent the measurements are), validity (how well the test measures what it is supposed to measure), and the framework of the medical model. There are some major changes between DSM-IV and DSM-5. One of the changes includes replacing the multiaxial system with a non-axial assessment system combining axes I, II and III at the same diagnostic level, with particular reference to psychosocial factors and disabilities. Another major change is the reorganization of disorders according to developmental progressions in life. The DSM-5 includes official diagnostic criteria that appear in Section II chapters versus Section III chapters. When comparing the two, the chapters in Section III now contain an optional dimensional, cultural, and alternative personality disorder model as well as conditions for further study. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Some deletions have been made to the DSM-IV for example, the removal of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale due to validity and reliability concerns. The DSM-V replaced the DSM-IV designation with two options: other specified disorders and unspecified disorders. The DSM-V places more emphasis on dimensionality and has a cultural training interview presented in Section III that assesses the impact of culture on clinical presentation..