Classification Systems for Mental Health

DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition)

DSM-5 is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is widely used in the United States and many other parts of the world.
Main purpose of DSM is to assist in the diagnosis of mental disorders, providing clear diagnostic categories and criteria.
DSM adopts a categorical approach, meaning it assumes that each disorder is separate and distinct, with its own set of symptoms.
DSM-5 acknowledges that disorders are not always distinct, introducing dimensional assessments for severity of symptoms.
Critiques of DSM highlight potential over-diagnosis, the lack of consideration for cultural variability, and increased medicalization of normal human behaviour.

The ICD-10 is a system used worldwide for the classification of diseases, including mental disorders. It is published by the World Health Organization.
It uses a slightly different approach to DSM in that it has a chapter dedicated to mental and behavioural disorders.
Its main purpose is to standardise diagnosis, facilitate health care planning, and enable data collection for research purposes.
Similar to DSM, the ICD-10 adopts a categorical approach to mental disorders, although it includes codes for both the disorder and its current severity.
Criticisms of ICD-10 include its complexity, lack of cultural sensitivity and possible over-diagnosis.

Both systems are widely used and have similar diagnostic categories for mental disorders.
They differ in terminology, organisation, and diagnostic criteria for certain disorders.
Cross-walk is a technique used by clinicians to convert diagnoses from one system to another. However, this may result in loss of specific information about the disorder.
Both have been critiqued for having a Western bias, focusing heavily on symptoms observed in Western societies and potentially misdiagnosing or over-diagnosing individuals from other cultures.
Both are under constant update and revision to reflect latest research findings and clinical experience, the DSM is currently in its 5th edition whereas the ICD is in its 10th edition with the 11th edition due to be implemented in the coming years.