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DSM-5 REVISED IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS; CLINICIANS PREPARE TO FIELD-TEST
Posted June 25, 2010

Thousands responded to the first-ever call for public input on the new version of the psychiatric manual, scheduled for publication in 2013.

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders is ready to be field-tested after an unprecedented call for public comment that drew about 8,600 responses from health professionals, patients, professional societies and researchers during a 2 month period.

The DSM-5 is undergoing revisions because of those comments, with changes made to entries including those covering eating disorders and sexual disorders. One particularly contentious issue was left untouched: the grouping of the current four classifications of autism spectrum disorders into one.

Read more...

SCIENCE WRITERS IN NEW YORK ARE MEETING THIS MONTH
FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE NEW DSM-5

Posted June 17, 2010

On Monday, June 28, SWINY (Science Writers In New York) is pleased to host a panel of experts to discuss the upcoming changes and revisions for DSM-5 and their implications for clinicians, researchers, psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and policy makers to make decisions about mental health.

Our founder, Lucy Jane Miller is honored to be on this panel.

Continue to check this page for any new updates.

ADDITIONAL APA COMMENT PERIOD IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 2011
Posted May 10, 2010

The American Psychiatric Association will re-open its site for public comment on revisions to the DSM next year.

According to the APA, field trials of proposed diagnostic criteria for DSM-5 are now underway within the association, which publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. In May 2011,* a revised draft will be posted online. At that time, the association again will invite the public to comment.

If you are already on the Sensory Processing Disorder's contact list, you will receive notice when there are DSM developments and when the comment period reopens. If not, please click here and sign up now for DSM and other news from the Foundation.

* Previous information that the comment period opened in May 2010 was in error.

THE DSM-5 COMMENT PERIOD HAS CLOSED
Posted April 20, 2010

The deadline for submitting comments to the American Psychiatric Association on its draft revision to DSM-5 has now passed. The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation thanks all of you who submitted comments to the APA in support of diagnostic recognition for Sensory Processing Disorder. As always, your support makes a difference.

Field trials on diagnoses still under consideration will begin shortly. We will keep you posted on these and other developments as they occur. Meanwhile, the APA has posted the DSM-5 timeline on its website.

SPD IS MAKING NEWS!
Posted March 15, 2010

The media has jumped on the story of Sensory Processing Disorder making the "final cut" for inclusion in DSM-5. We post links to these stories as soon as we spot then. Bookmark our News & Newsletter page and check it regularly for the latest news on SPD and the DSM-5. And if you see a story in your local media that we have missed? Please send a link to Info@SPDFoundation.net so we can add it to our site.

SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER STILL IN THE RUNNING!
Posted February 10, 2010

Preliminary draft revisions to the current diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnoses have been released for the 2013 revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). The DSM is the source for diagnoses of mental health disorders and many developmental disorders. The American Psychiatric Association (APA), which publishes the DSM, has also identified several disorders still under consideration for diagnostic recognition.

Sensory Processing Disorder is among the conditions still under consideration!

A final decision about recognizing any of these conditions will be made after assessment of evidence supporting their inclusion in DSM-5 is completed. This assessment includes consideration of public comments about recognizing Sensory Processing Disorder. To see the conditions proposed by outside sources still being considered for diagnostic recognition in DSM-5, visit the APA site.

Here's the official announcement from the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which publishes the DSM:

There are a number of conditions that are being recommended for addition to DSM-5 by outside sources, such as mental health advocacy groups, that are still under consideration by the work groups. The following conditions are considered "under review," and work groups will make a recommendation about their inclusion after further assessing the evidence.

The list that follows includes "Sensory Processing Disorder."

We know many of you are interested in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger's Disorder also. Here is the official word regarding those conditions:

A single diagnostic category, "autism spectrum disorders" that will incorporate the current diagnoses of autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder (not otherwise specified).

The American Psychiatric Association provided the following explanation for the above:

The recommended DSM-5 draft criteria for autism spectrum disorders include a new assessment of symptom severity related to the individual's degree of impairment. The draft criteria also specify deficits in two categories: 1) social interaction and communication (e.g., maintaining eye-to-eye gaze, ability to sustain a conversation and peer-relations) and 2) the presence of repetitive behaviors and fixated interests and behaviors. Additionally, in recognition of the neurodevelopmental nature of the disorder, the criteria require that symptoms begin in early childhood. Clinicians must take into account an individual's age, stage of development, intellectual abilities and language level in making a diagnosis.

"The recommendation of a new category of autism spectrum disorders reflects recognition by the work group that the symptoms of these disorders represent a continuum from mild to severe, rather than being distinct disorders," said Dr. Cook. In addition to specifying a range of severity of ASD, the criteria will include description of the individual's overall development, course (e.g. regression), and language. "We expect that the proposed changes will improve the sensitivity and specificity of the criteria for autism spectrum disorders, so that clinicians may be able to more accurately diagnose these disorders."

DSM-5 initiative - summary

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, currently in its 4th edition and often called simply DSM-IV, is the standard diagnostic tool used by mental health professionals worldwide to promote reliable research, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate treatment of cognitive and mental health conditions. Currently, Sensory Processing Disorder is not included in the DSM. This absence limits awareness of SPD, contributes to the misdiagnosis and inappropriate therapeutic treatment of children, and reduces funding for research. Insurance companies often rely upon the DSM-IV diagnoses and may not cover treatment of SPD because it is not listed in the DSM.

Since 2000, the SPD Foundation has spearheaded an intense campaign for recognition of Sensory Processing Disorder in the revised DSM-5, which will be published in 2013. The SPDF has invested heavily in research and has facilitated complementary studies at premier research institutions across the country and internationally. In January 2007, the SPD Foundation submitted its first-stage application to the DSM-5 committee of the American Psychiatric Association. Because we completed or published so much additional research in 2007, we prepared and submitted a supplement to our original application in March 2008. This assured that the DSM committee members have the most current data before them as they deliberate.

In April 2008, we received a lengthy and extremely detailed letter from the chair of the DSM committee. In it, he indicated a significant number of additional studies we needed to submit before SPD could be recognized. We began those studies immediately. At the same time, we remained in close communication with the DSM committee. In June 2009, we received word that SPD is "on the list" of "novel diagnostic entities" being considered for the DSM-5. We also were informed that field trials for new diagnoses under consideration would begin in August 2009, five months earlier than we anticipated. We submitted additional requested data by that deadline.

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