title: A comparison of DSM-II and DSM-III in the diagnosis of childhood psychiatric disorders. III. Multiaxial features.
abstract: A major feature of DSM-III is its multiaxial format. One purpose of this study was to examine the purported advantages of a multiaxial system as compared to those of a multicategory system, eg., DSM-II. We found that the multiaxial system led to a more complete and reliable diagnosis of complex clinical cases. Concomitant medical disorder and psychosocial stressors were coded with high levels of interrater agreement. We conclude that the multiaxial framework is a major strength of DSM-III.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D002657:Child Development; D002667:Child Reactive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis