DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Anxiety Disorder: Discriminant Validity

현재 불안 장애의 분류 : 타당한가?

  • Yu Bum-Hee (Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee In-Soo (Department of Psychiatry, Yeonggwang Sin-Ha Christian Hospital)
  • 유범희 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 정신과학교실) ;
  • 이인수 (영광기독신하병원)
  • Published : 2005.12.01

Abstract

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4th edition (DSM-IV) has been widely accepted and used for international classification of mental disorder. The DSM has been changed to improve diagnostic reliability and validity through descriptive and categorical approaches which was undertaken atheoretically. The authors reviewed current studies about the DSM-IV classification system and the diagnostic issues of representative categories of anxiety disorder. The authors concluded that the anxiety disorder classification system in DSM-IV has limitations such as a lack of empirical consideration for overlapping features of anxiety disorders and a lack of discriminant validity. To improve diagnostic validity and revise the current DSM-IV classification system, the authors suggested 1) more longitudinal studies for collecting empirical evidence, 2) decreasing the dependence upon operational criteria, 3) deceasing diagnostic boundary blurring, 4) developing disease specific biological diagnostic techniques and 5) continued collaboration between the DSM and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) systems.

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