Synopsis

DSM-IV presents a challenging task for all clinicians. Just reviewing the diagnostic standards is time consuming and often confusing even for the most experienced practitioner; and what is more, learning the standards alone does not immediately translate into clinical application.

This book helps professionals quickly learn how to apply the diagnostic criteria to patients. Every DSM-IV diagnosis is simplified and clearly interpreted, emphasizing what the clinician needs to know most when making a diagnosis. Case vignettes, extensive evaluations, and the author's informed commentary combine to enable mental health practitioners to readily incorporate DSM-IV into practice.

Taking the reader step-by-step through the diagnostic process for every DSM-IV category, the author clearly explains how to derive a complete, five-axis diagnosis. Each set of criteria is discussed in detail, illustrated by a vivid clinical vignette and interpreted in lucid terms. With this logical organization, the book provides a full course in diagnostic thinking, presented by a master clinician who has evaluated and treated over 15,000 patients.

Among the many helpful features:

*QUICK GUIDES in each chapter concisely outline every diagnosis, cross-referencing disorders that can result in similar symptoms. This feature alone provides a complete catalog of which symptoms define a disorder, and how these relate to other disorders.

*TIPS throughout the text highlight crucial diagnostic information.

*CLINICAL VIGNETTES richly illustrate the work and serve as the principal teaching device. Over 100 detailed case histories provide a framework for understanding the diagnostic criteria, giving the reader a genuine sense of each disorder.

*EVALUATION of the patient is clearly described in each vignette. The author identifies the most likely of the differential diagnoses, shows how the patient fits the criteria, and explains why other diagnoses are unlikely.

* CODING NOTES follow many criteria lists, supplying additional information about coding, subtypes, and specifiers when relevant.

An indispensable resource for clinical practice, this book is also ideal for mental health professionals preparing for licensing exams. It serves as a valuable introductory text for students needing to develop a framework for diagnostic understanding.

Sahana Misra

This book presents the information contained in the DSM-IV in a user-friendly way. The criteria for making diagnoses are clearly explained and are accompanied by clinical vignettes, chapter outlines, tips, and coding notes. The purpose is to make the DSM-IV easier to understand and more applicable for clinical use in all mental health professions. This book is primarily targeted at mental health professionals and psychiatry residents. However, because of its well-written and simplified text, it would make an excellent book for medical students during their psychiatry rotations and for other students in mental health fields. Each chapter begins with a quick guide that provides an outline of the diagnoses to be discussed. In this section, cross-references are provided for other diagnoses that may have similar symptoms. Interspersed within the text are valuable tips providing definitions to some vague terms used in the DSM-IV as well as interesting historical information. There are several clinical vignettes provided in each chapter that help to elucidate the diagnoses even further. This book provides a simplified and thorough explanation of the material presented in the DSM-IV. It is a useful source of information that can be used as a primary text for students and as a supplemental text for all mental health professionals. It also would be a practical addition to any health sciences library.

Biography

James Morrison, MD, was educated at Reed College and obtained his medical and psychiatric training at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University. He is the author of The First Interview, DSM-IV Made Easy, and When Psychological Problems Mask Medical Disorders, and coauthor (with Thomas F. Anders) of Interviewing Children and Adolescents.