Sexual disorders: new and expanded proposals for the DSM-5--do we need them?

Abstract

The sexual disorders in the current and proposed DSM contain a potpourri of categories that increasingly intersect with the criminal justice system. Caveats saying the DSM is designed for clinical and not legal purposes notwithstanding, our classification system has difficulty distinguishing what we consider criminal behavior from culturally unacceptable behavior and mental disorder. Several current proposals continue this trend and seem more responsive to criminal justice concerns than mental illness considerations. They also lack sufficient specificity to warrant being called a disorder.