Abstract
The much anticipated fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's (APA, 2013) "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5) was released this past May at APA's annual convention in San Francisco and with it came a storm of controversy. In this article, the authors examine changes made to specific diagnostic categories, with particular attention being given to those most relevant to the school context. However, given the controversy surrounding DSM-5's release, the authors first provide an overview of two main sources of controversy. From their own anecdotal observations, the authors suggest that most attention in the popular press has been devoted to or associated with (a) reports suggesting that the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will strive to no longer fund research based strictly on DSM-defined disorders and (b) the sharp criticisms offered by the fourth edition's (DSM-IV; APA, 1994) task force chairperson, Allen Frances, MD. Dr. Frances argues that the use of DSM-5 will result in the mislabeling of everyday problems as a mental illness. The work of school psychologists is, and always has been, informed by the DSM. DSM has never been a controlling authority. The simple presence of a DSM diagnosis for a student can and should direct a school psychologist's attention, but it never should direct their action. The education codes and regulations that do direct their actions (i.e., IDEA) require clear evidence of an adverse effect on educational functioning and, as a result, some might argue are more restrictive in this setting than DSM. Furthermore, when it comes to clinical diagnoses and classifications, DSM-5 will still be the controlling authority.