Abstract
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the classification of mental disorders for children and adolescents has been revised. Although some changes are welcome and needed, others have been controversial. In this article, I examine the diagnostic changes along with some of the associated controversies and resolutions. The implications for the practice of child forensic psychiatry, including problems that may be encountered by forensic psychiatrists who evaluate adults with childhood-onset mental disorders, are examined. The pitfalls associated with improper use of The Manual by legal professionals are also reviewed.
Footnotes
Disclosures of financial or other potential conflicts of interest: None.
- © 2014 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
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- Article
- Abstract
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Specific Learning Disorder
- Intellectual Disability and Mental Retardation
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A New Childhood Disorder
- Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
- Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders
- DSM-5 and Legal Practice
- Conclusion
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