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DSM-5 Citation: APA Guidelines for Citing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), is the primary diagnostic and statistical manual used by mental health professionals to diagnose and classify mental disorders. It is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing mental health conditions.

When citing the DSM-5 in an APA-style paper, there are specific guidelines that must be followed. These guidelines ensure that the citation is accurate, complete, and consistent with other APA-style citations.

APA Citation Format for DSM-5

The basic format for citing the DSM-5 in an APA-style paper is as follows:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

In-text citation:

dsm 5 citation apa

When citing the DSM-5 in the text of your paper, use the following format:

(DSM-5, 2013)

Reference list entry:

DSM-5 Citation: APA Guidelines for Citing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

APA Citation Format for DSM-5

When listing the DSM-5 in your reference list, use the following format:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Examples of DSM-5 Citations

In-text citation:

The DSM-5 defines depression as a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest, and feelings of worthlessness (DSM-5, 2013).

Reference list entry:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When citing the DSM-5, it is important to avoid the following common mistakes:

Not including the publication year. The publication year is an essential part of the DSM-5 citation and must be included in both the in-text citation and the reference list entry.
Citing an incorrect edition. The DSM-5 is currently in its fifth edition. Make sure to cite the correct edition when referencing the manual.
Using an incorrect publisher. The DSM-5 is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Do not use any other publisher when citing the manual.
Including unnecessary information. The DSM-5 citation should only include the essential information needed to identify the manual. Do not include additional information, such as the authors or the number of pages.

Conclusion

Citing the DSM-5 correctly is essential for any paper that discusses mental health disorders. By following the APA guidelines outlined in this article, you can ensure that your citations are accurate, complete, and consistent with other APA-style citations.

In-text citation:

Additional Resources

Keywords

APA citation
DSM-5
Mental health disorders
Diagnostic and statistical manual

Useful Tables

Table 1: Common Mental Health Disorders

Disorder	Prevalence	Symptoms
Depression	16.2%	Persistent sadness, loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness
Anxiety disorders	31.1%	Excessive fear or worry, physical symptoms such as sweating or trembling
Bipolar disorder	2.8%	Episodes of mania and depression
Schizophrenia	1.1%	Hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech
Obsessive-compulsive disorder	1.2%	Unwanted thoughts or behaviors that are repeated over and over

Table 2: DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Depression

Symptom	Duration	Severity
Depressed mood	Most of the day, nearly every day	Must be present
Loss of interest or pleasure	Most of the day, nearly every day	Must be present
Significant weight loss or gain	Change of more than 5% of body weight in a month	Or decreased or increased appetite
Insomnia or hypersomnia	Nearly every day	Significant difficulty falling or staying asleep, or excessive sleeping
Fatigue or loss of energy	Nearly every day	Markedly diminished interest or energy
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt	Nearly every day	Must be present
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions	Nearly every day	Must be present
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide	Nearly every day	Must be present

Table 3: Pros and Cons of Using the DSM-5

Pros	Cons
Provides a standardized system for diagnosing mental health disorders	Can be overly reliant on subjective symptoms
Helps to ensure consistency in diagnosis across different clinicians	May not capture all the nuances of individual cases
Facilitates communication and research on mental health disorders	Can be time-consuming and complex to use

Table 4: Common Questions About Citing the DSM-5

Question	Answer
How do I cite the DSM-5 in an in-text citation?	Use the following format: (DSM-5, 2013)
How do I cite the DSM-5 in a reference list entry?	Use the following format: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
What is the publication year of the DSM-5?	2013
Who publishes the DSM-5?	American Psychiatric Association (APA)
What is the difference between the DSM-5 and the DSM-IV?	The DSM-5 is the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published in 2013. The DSM-IV is the fourth edition of the manual, published in 1994.