Consumers' views of DSM-III: attitudes and practices of U.S. psychiatrists and 1984 graduating psychiatric residents

The authors surveyed U.S. psychiatrists and psychiatric residents graduating in 1984 about their use and views of DSM-III. Although the majority approved of DSM-III generally, 35% of the psychiatrists and 20% of the residents said they would stop using it if it were not required. Residents accepted DSM-III better than did practicing psychiatrists. Many of the respondents doubted the validity of some diagnoses and stated that many of their patients did not satisfy criteria needed for the DSM-III diagnoses in their records. Most respondents did not use all DSM-III axes and did not want new axes. The authors discuss the survey results and their implications for revision of DSM-III.