“The DSM-5 Task Force is requesting proposals from academic and large general psychiatric, mental health specialty, and medical specialty settings to participate in the field trials of proposed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, cross-cutting dimensional measures, and diagnostic-specific severity measures.  Our objective is to assure that these proposed changes are subjected to rigorous and empirically sound field trials before DSM is released for general clinical and research use. As such, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) plans to field test the clinical utility, feasibility, reliability, and, where possible, validity of selected DSM-5 draft diagnostic criteria and associated dimensional measures across a variety of clinical settings. The initial phase of these field trials is set to begin in the summer of 2010 and continue through February 2011. The disorders selected for study in field trials include those with high public health significance and/or those with significant proposed changes to the diagnostic criteria.  A list of the diagnoses planned for testing in the field trials can be found here.  We are limiting this first round of contracted sites to U.S. locations but will consider international sites for the second wave of field trials.  However, if international sites believe that they have the resources to carry out this wave 1 protocol, we will be happy to discuss how we can facilitate their participation.

An additional field trial in routine clinical practice settings covering all DSM-5 disorders will be conducted separately with a focus on clinical utility and feasibility but without a test-retest or validity component. This additional field trial will enroll a randomly selected sample of individual multidisciplinary clinicians as well as a sample who volunteer to participate.  International participation will be feasible for the volunteer component of this “Practice Research Network” protocol, which will start later in the fall of 2010. The detailed protocol for this version of the field trial is available upon request.”

Continue reading this story at the APA website…

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Sensory Processing, often referred to as Sensory Integration describes the manner in which the nervous system receives and processes information from sensory systems allowing an individual to make adaptive motor or behavioral responses.

When there is a problem in the process of receiving and interpreting sensory information it is referred to as a Sensory Processing Disorder ( SPD), or sensory integrative dysfunction.   Individuals with SPD have great difficulties in performing everyday tasks and in functioning in academic, vocational, recreational and social settings. As a result many individuals with SPD exhibit anxiety, withdrawal, behavioral problems, depression, alcohol and/ or substance abuse.

Based on research and collected data from the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, SPD affects 1 in every 20 children.  These numbers are on the rise and continue to present endless frustration and difficulties for those who suffer from the disorder.   The exact causes of SPD have not yet been identified, however extensive research from the SPD Foundation and collaborators are pointing to genetics, birth complications and environmental factors as potential causes.

Sensory Processing Disorders can impact both children and adults.  It can range from being a mild disability to a more severe disorder contingent on many variables including but not limited to the number of sensory and motor systems that are affected in the disorder, the severity of the symptoms that result as a consequence of having the disorder, age of the individual, coping mechanisms and whether or not therapy has been added to the equation. The categories within the SPD umbrella range from children who poorly modulate and/ or discriminate incoming sensory information, or have difficulties in motor planning and postural control.   These individuals may be intact intellectually but have different “neural wiring.”  Because many professionals have not been trained or do not understand SPD, both children and adults are often misdiagnosed and not provided with the proper  treatment. They continue to suffer with emotional issues have difficulties in performing daily life tasks, maintaining jobs, persisting in their schooling and in sustaining meaningful interpersonal relationships.

With extensive research and advocacy from the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, the American Psychiatric Association which publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- 5^th edition (DSM-5), continues to consider the addition “Sensory Processing Disorder” to the DSM-V.  A final decision regarding the addition and recognition of the disorder will be made following an extensive review of the submitted evidence based research. The general public and professionals are encouraged to submit any evidence based research to the SPD Foundation until April 20, 2010. This information will be added to the ongoing research and sent to the American Psychiatric Association to support the addition of the SPD classification. The DSM-V will be published in 2013, hopefully with the addition of Sensory Processing Disorder.  This would open an array of positive changes for the individuals affected by this disorder including the possibility of additional public school classifications with modifications for SPD, available therapies, treatment and public recognition and acknowledgment.  We thank the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation for all the strides and endeavors in heightening both public and professional awareness of “Sensory Processing Disorders.”

Doreit S. Bialer, M.A.,O.T.R./L
Instructor, Summit Professional Education

JUDY WOODRUFF: Now: rethinking mental illness.

For the first time in 16 years, the American Psychiatric Association is revising its essential dictionary, formally titled “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” The book is used widely by mental health professionals to classify and diagnose illnesses. The proposed revisions have been a decade in the making, among them: a single category called autism spectrum disorders that would incorporate Asperger’s syndrome; a category called behavioral addictions, in which gambling would be the sole disorder; a risk syndromes category to help identify earlier stages of disorders like dementia and psychosis; and a recognition of binge eating disorder.

The draft has been posted online and will be reviewed and refined over the next two years.

For some perspective on the proposals and their implications, I’m joined by Dr. Alan Schatzberg. He’s president of the American Psychiatric Association. He is also chair of psychiatry at Stanford University. And Dr. Allen Frances, he’s former chief of psychiatry at the Duke University Medical Center. He led the last effort to revise the manual.

Gentlemen, thank you both for being with us.

And, Dr. Schatzberg, to you first. Why is this manual so important?

DR. ALAN SCHATZBERG, president, American Psychiatric Association: Well, it is used by — as you pointed out, Judy, by practitioners around the world to diagnose potential patients, people who come in for treatment with specific complaints, and to classify them as having one or another disorder.

It becomes the common language that mental health practitioners use to describe patients, so that we can agree on a diagnosis, very similar to cardiologists talking to an internist, saying the patient has had a myocardial infarction, or what we call a heart attack. We need to have agreed-upon diagnoses and criteria for making those diagnoses if we’re going to be able to take care of patients.

Continue Reading on PBS NewsHour Website

Here are a few links for reference:

• DSM V Website
• Psych.org Article
• WrongPlanet.net Article
• PsychCentral.com Article: A look at the DSM V draft