Dysthymic disorder: a comparison of DSM-IV and ICD-10 and issues in differential diagnosis

Dysthymic disorders are a major category among the mood disorders but the concept is not widely understood in many parts of the world, where it is often considered as a new name for familiar categories, such as neurotic depression, depressive personality or even neurasthenia (which is still a frequent diagnosis in many Far East countries). The purpose of this chapter is to compare the definitions of Dysthymic Disorder that are contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) with the definitions in the International Classification of diseases Tenth Edition (ICD-10). The two systems are in fact quite congruent both in their overall approach and their specific contents; this has resulted from the fact that many of the DSM-IV Task Force and Work Group members have participated in the ICD-10 expert committees and many of the ICD-10 experts have been advisors to the DSM-IV revision process.