The DSM-5 is ____________ type of classification system?

The DSM-5 is ____________ type of classification system?

• A. Criterion-referenced
• B. Dimensional
• C. Categorical
• D. Norm-referenced

Answer: (A)

Diagnoses in the DSM-5 are made by checking a fixed set of criteria for each disorder and confirming that the required symptoms, duration, and impairment are present. This means you determine whether someone has a disorder by whether they meet predefined criteria, not by how they score relative to a group. So the classification is criterion-referenced. It isn’t norm-referenced, since there’s no comparison to population norms, and while DSM-5 includes some dimensional notes (like severity specifiers), the diagnostic decision itself relies on meeting specific criteria rather than placing someone on a continuous distribution.

Diagnoses in the DSM-5 are made by checking a fixed set of criteria for each disorder and confirming that the required symptoms, duration, and impairment are present. This means you determine whether someone has a disorder by whether they meet predefined criteria, not by how they score relative to a group. So the classification is criterion-referenced. It isn’t norm-referenced, since there’s no comparison to population norms, and while DSM-5 includes some dimensional notes (like severity specifiers), the diagnostic decision itself relies on meeting specific criteria rather than placing someone on a continuous distribution.