PTSD in the DSM-5: reply to Brewin (2013), Kilpatrick (2013), and Maercker and Perkonigg (2013)

Abstract

The greater emphasis on scientific evidence and the high threshold for changing any criterion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (4th ed., DSM-IV) probably account for many key differences between the DSM-5 and the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (11th ver.; ICD-11) with regard to diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Important questions about PTSD remain that can only be settled by future research. Additional research is also needed on subthreshold PTSD, a dissociative subtype described in the DSM-5; complex PTSD, included in the ICD-11; bereavement-related disorders; and adjustment disorders. We can all look forward to such scientific advances to inform our ongoing efforts to develop the best diagnostic criteria for trauma- and stressor-related disorders.