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DSM-IV Literature reviews: Rationale, process, and limitations

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Abstract

DSM-IV will benefit from the extensive research and interest in diagnosis generated in large part by DSM-III. The development of DSM-IV is proceeding through three stages of empirical documentation, including literature reviews, analysis of unpublished data sets, and field trials. This paper discusses the rationale, process, and limitations of the literature reviews. The purpose of the literature reviews is to provide and to document a comprehensive review of the clinical and empirical literature to facilitate objective and empirically based decisions. The review process is guided by the explicit and systematic methods developed within meta-analysis. Limitations of the reviews are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 115 Kastle Hall, 40506-0044, Lexington, Kentucky

    Thomas A. Widiger

  2. Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York

    Thomas A. Widiger & Allen J. Frances

  3. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC

    Harold Alan Pincus & Wendy W. Davis

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  1. Thomas A. Widiger
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  2. Allen J. Frances
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  3. Harold Alan Pincus
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  4. Wendy W. Davis
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The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the American Psychiatric Association and its Task Force on DSM-IV.

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Widiger, T.A., Frances, A.J., Pincus, H.A. et al. DSM-IV Literature reviews: Rationale, process, and limitations. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 12, 189–202 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00960617

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