title: Diagnostic assignment of criteria: clinicians and DSM-IV.
abstract: The study examined clinician matching of diagnostic criteria to selected DSM-IV Axis I and II disorders. A national sample of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists assigned symptom criteria, presented in scrambled order by axis, to DSM-IV diagnoses with which they believed the criteria belonged, without using the DSM. On average, clinicians assigned 69% of Axis I criteria and 75% of Axis II criteria to the designated DSM-IV diagnosis. The Axis II data represent increased agreement over the 66% found for DSM-III-R. Reasons for the increase are discussed, focusing on modifications made in DSM-IV and increased familiarity with personality disorders. The significantly higher rate of agreement for Axis II over Axis I contrasts with typical reliability data which suggests that Axis I disorders are better defined. Specific points of disagreement between clinician criteria assignments and the DSM-IV are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242-1407, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008370:Manuals as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States