title: Beyond DSM-5: an alternative approach to assessing Social Anxiety Disorder.
abstract: This article focuses on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) classification of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). The article details the diagnostic criteria for SAD that have evolved in the various editions and demonstrates that whilst there have been some positive steps taken to more comprehensively define the disorder, further revision is necessary. It will be argued that the DSM-5 (APA, 2013) has made some changes to the diagnostic criteria of SAD that do not seem to be completely in line with theory and research and do not describe SAD effectively in terms of both diversity and presentation. This article concludes with the presentation of a proposed set of diagnostic criteria that address the concerns raised in the article. The proposed criteria reflect a hybrid categorical-dimensional system of classification.
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: sskocic@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skocic
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: cah@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hulbert
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005239:Fear; D006801:Humans; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class
keywords: DSM-5; Diagnostic criteria; Social Anxiety Disorder; Social Phobia