Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Mental health professionals in the United States use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as the standard classification of mental disorders. It contains a listing of diagnostic criteria for every psychiatric disorder recognized by the U.S. healthcare system.
It is used in settings, such as inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinic, private practice, and primary care, and with community populations and by psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, occupational and rehabilitation therapists, counselors, and other health and mental health professionals. It is also a necessary tool for collecting and communicating accurate public health statistics about the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders.
Click here for more information about mental disorder classifications as set forth in the DSM. Source for the terminology: SAMHSA terminology definitions