ICD-10 and DSM-IV symptoms of somatoform disorders in different cultures

In spite of an effort to harmonize the latest editions of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), a number of differences between the two classification systems still exist. One of these differences is related to the category of somatoform disorders. The cross-cultural applicability of ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria for somatoform disorders have been explored in the context of the ongoing WHO International Study of Somatoform Disorders. The study demonstrated that the current diagnostic concepts of somatoform disorders are cross-culturally acceptable in spite of the differences in their descriptions and classifications. However, it was found that a number of culture specific symptoms of somatoform disorders which do not appear in ICD-10 and DSM-IV were important and necessary for their diagnosis in specific cultures.