[Clinical aspects and practical applications of DSM-III]

In the first section of this paper, the clinically relevant features of the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition (DSM III) are described and compared with those of the ICD-9 (International Classification of Diseases). It is evident, among other facts, that the narrower concept of schizophrenia and the extension of the scope of affective disorders exercises an effect particularly on the class of schizoaffective disorders, which are considerably reduced in number. The second section of the paper is a report on the experience with the practical application of the DSM III at the Department of Psychiatry (University Hospital) of the University of Freiburg, FRG. A comparison of diagnoses based on DSM III with those based correspondingly on ICD 9 resulted e.g. in a reduction of the number of neurosis diagnoses and a surprising increase by a factor of three and a half of diagnosed personality disorders. The possible causes of such "movements" and their implications for clinical everyday practice are discussed.