Classification of mental disorders: the importance of inclusive decision-making

Abstract

With DSM-V and ICD-11 on the horizon, now is an excellent time to consider the process leading on to the revision of classificatory systems in psychiatry. The challenges of classification in psychiatry are not inconsiderable. Among these are the controversies about what constitutes a 'disorder' and the appropriate place to draw the line between 'normality' and abnormal psychological status. In the absence of validating biomarkers for most mental disorders, judgements are required about the emphasis to put on available empirical data in the revision of existing classifications. In this review we propose that, given the salience of factors such as culture and contextual social experience to the experience and nature of mental disorders, there is an important need for inclusiveness in the process of leading to the revisions of classifications of mental disorders.