It's the foundation of psychiatric diagnosis. And it's about to get a makeover

"The diagnostic manual known as "the Bible of psychiatry" is about to get a major overhaul. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) puts out the tome known in the field as the DSM-5. That stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition. The APA outlined its thinking and approach for the next revision in five studies published Wednesday in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Instead of a weighty volume, the next DSM will be "a living document" online and easier to update."

"The APA hasn't set a strict timeline and hasn't decided yet if it will be called the DSM-6 or some new name. But it is seeking input from a broad range of both mental health professionals and people who have psychiatric conditions. "The DSM is really the foundational framework for mental health diagnosis," said Dr. Maria Oquendo, chair of the Strategic Committee in charge of the future of the manual, speaking at a press conference announcing the research supporting the new approach."

"The DSM is used by psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, researchers, and insurance companies. "It's very useful in the sense that it helps you think about what is going on with the patient in a hopefully accurate way," says Dr. Jennifer Havens, chair of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. "Because the essential thing you have to do in any illness is diagnose it. And if you make the right diagnosis, you prescribe or initiate the right treatments." Keeping it current In the past, the DSM has been revised every 15 years or so, with the DSM-5 published in 2013. "Each revision reflects advances in science, clinical practice and sociocultural understanding," said Oquendo. But that lengthy process and making it available in a print format has had limitations, according to Dr. Nitin Gogtay, deputy medical director of the APA, who also spoke at the virtual press conference."

The American Psychiatric Association plans to transform the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders into an online, continuously updated "living document" to allow easier and faster updates. No strict timeline or final name has been set for the next revision. Input will be solicited from a wide range of mental health professionals and people with psychiatric conditions. The DSM functions as the foundational framework for mental health diagnosis and is used by clinicians, researchers, and insurers. Accurate diagnosis guides appropriate treatment. Past editions were released roughly every 15 years, with DSM-5 published in 2013, and the print-based, lengthy revision process has presented limitations.

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