A Comparison of DSM-II and DSM-III in the Diagnosis of Childhood Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

A major feature of DSM-III is its multiaxial format. One purpose of this study was to examine the purported advantages of a multiaxial system as compared to those of a multicategory system, eg., DSM-II. We found that the multiaxial system led to a more complete and reliable diagnosis of complex clinical cases. Concomitant medical disorder and psychosocial stressors were coded with high levels of interrater agreement. We conclude that the multiaxial framework is a major strength of DSM-III.