title: DSM-5 and posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: The latest iteration of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria presented in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) includes specific elaborations of the gatekeeper criteria, a new category of stressor, an expansion in the number of symptoms, addition of a new subtype of PTSD, and an enlarged text discussion that breaks new ground in defining the criteria. We first trace the rationale underlying these changes and their impact on the prevalence of PTSD diagnoses in clinical studies and then present potential implications of the new criteria for forensic assessment methodology and the detection of malingering, interpretations of criminal responsibility and mitigation, evaluation of the reliability of witnesses, the scope of claims in civil and employment cases, and eligibility for disability.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Levin is Medical Director, Westchester Jewish Community Services, Hartsdale, NY, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Dr. Kleinman is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Adjunct Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, NY. Mr. Adler is a shareholder with Littler Mendelson, PC, in its San Diego, CA office. aplevin2@cs.com.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Dr. Levin is Medical Director, Westchester Jewish Community Services, Hartsdale, NY, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Dr. Kleinman is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Adjunct Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, NY. Mr. Adler is a shareholder with Littler Mendelson, PC, in its San Diego, CA office.
authors.forename: Stuart B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.affiliation: Dr. Levin is Medical Director, Westchester Jewish Community Services, Hartsdale, NY, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Dr. Kleinman is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Adjunct Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, NY. Mr. Adler is a shareholder with Littler Mendelson, PC, in its San Diego, CA office.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Adler
mesh_terms: D003416:Criminal Law; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*