DSM-III-R: Too Much Too Soon?

Abstract

Some of the more important changes carried out in the recently published revision of the DSM-III classification (DSM-III-R) are described, and an assessment is made on whether a revision of this nature was necessary and whether it achieved its aims. Since a large number of disorders have been modified in one way or another and since empirical evidence for many of the changes is lacking, the author concludes that DSM-III-R, rather than illuminating the field, is likely to cause confusion and frustration in the minds of clinicians, researchers and administrators, and that in fact DSM-III-R is a new classification, a DSM-IV in disguise.