The DSM-III-R personality disorders: an overview

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychological diagnostics
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) established a framework for diagnosing personality disorders.
• Subsequent clinical experience and research highlighted areas for improvement within the DSM-III classification system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the revisions made to the axis II personality disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised (DSM-III-R).
• To identify and discuss key changes in diagnostic criteria and format.
• To propose directions for future research in personality disorder classification.

Main Methods:

• Critical review of the DSM-III-R revisions concerning personality disorders.
• Analysis of changes in the multiaxial system and diagnostic format (categorical vs. dimensional).
• Examination of shifts from monothetic to polythetic criteria sets and reduced diagnostic overlap.

Main Results:

• DSM-III-R introduced substantial revisions to axis II personality disorder criteria sets.
• The manual shifted towards polythetic criteria, aiming to decrease inferential clinical judgment.
• Two new personality disorders were added to an appendix, with significant revisions to existing criteria.

Conclusions:

• The DSM-III-R represents a significant evolution in the classification of personality disorders.
• Further research is needed to refine diagnostic criteria and explore dimensional approaches.
• The revisions aim to improve diagnostic reliability and reduce ambiguity in clinical practice.