Study, 2014
How did PMDD become an official diagnosis?
PMDD was officially added to the DSM-5 with little controversy, unlike earlier proposals. Interviews revealed that changes in scientific evidence and professional attitudes led to acceptance.
What they did
Researchers interviewed psychiatrists and psychologists who were involved in the DSM-IV revision process. They explored what factors led to earlier controversy about including a menstruation-related mood disorder and why the DSM-5 inclusion was different.
What they found
When PMDD was proposed for DSM-III-R and DSM-IV, there was significant public and professional controversy. When proposed for DSM-5, there was much less controversy and it became an official disorder. Both scientific evidence and other non-scientific factors influenced these decisions.
What it means for you
PMDD went from being a controversial diagnosis to an accepted one as scientific evidence accumulated and professional attitudes changed. This shows how diagnosis and understanding of conditions evolve over time. The limitation is that this is a historical account based on interviews, not new scientific evidence about PMDD itself.
About the study
- Original title
- A diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Zachar P, Kendler KS
- Journal
- The Journal of nervous and mental disease
- Year
- 2014
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- None - qualitative interviews
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/nmd.0000000000000128
Topics
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