How to Cite the DSM-5: A Comprehensive Guide for Students, Researchers, and Professionals

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), is the authoritative guide used by mental health professionals to diagnose and classify mental disorders. Properly citing the DSM-5 is crucial for academic papers, research publications, and clinical documentation. This detailed guide will walk you through the different ways to cite the DSM-5, ensuring accuracy and adherence to academic standards, primarily using APA style, the most common citation style in psychology and related fields.

Understanding the Importance of Accurate Citation

Citing the DSM-5 correctly serves several essential purposes:

• Avoiding Plagiarism: Proper citation acknowledges the source of information and prevents unintentional or intentional plagiarism.
• Credibility and Professionalism: Accurate citations enhance the credibility of your work and demonstrate professionalism.
• Clarity and Transparency: Citations allow readers to easily locate the source of the information and verify your findings.
• Reproducibility: Precise citations are vital in research to ensure that others can replicate your study.
• Ethical Practice: Giving credit where it’s due is an essential part of ethical research and scholarship.

General Principles of Citing the DSM-5

Before diving into specific examples, let’s establish some general principles that apply to citing the DSM-5:

• Use the Correct Edition: Always ensure you are citing the correct edition. In most cases, you’ll be citing the DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). If you’re using older editions, make sure to cite them accordingly.
• APA Style: The American Psychological Association (APA) style is the most common formatting style for psychology and related disciplines. This guide will focus primarily on APA 7th edition.
• Pay Attention to Specific Details: Be precise in noting the year of publication, specific page numbers when referring to particular information, and other relevant details.
• In-Text Citations and Reference List Entries: You need to include both in-text citations within your text (when you refer to the DSM-5) and a full reference list entry at the end of your document.

Citing the DSM-5 in APA 7th Edition

Here’s a breakdown of how to cite the DSM-5 using APA 7th edition guidelines:

Reference List Entry

The basic format for a reference list entry for the DSM-5 is as follows:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). *Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders* (5th ed.). https://doi.org/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Here’s a breakdown of each element:

• American Psychiatric Association: This is the author of the work (corporate author).
• (2013): This is the year of publication for the DSM-5.
• *Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders*: This is the title of the manual. Note that the title is italicized.
• (5th ed.): This indicates that it is the fifth edition.
• https://doi.org/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: This is the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and if it’s available, it should be included. The example `xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx` must be replaced by actual DOI for the DSM-5.

Example:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). *Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders* (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Note: If you are using a print version that does not have a DOI, you may omit the DOI.

In-Text Citations

In-text citations are necessary when you mention, summarize, or directly quote information from the DSM-5. APA style uses the author-date format for in-text citations.

Parenthetical Citation: If you are citing the DSM-5 in parentheses, use the following format:

(American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

Narrative Citation: If you are citing the DSM-5 in the text narrative, use the following format:

American Psychiatric Association (2013) states...

Including Page Numbers: When referencing specific information, especially direct quotes, include the page number(s) after the year, separated by a comma. Use “p.” for a single page and “pp.” for multiple pages.

Parenthetical with Page Numbers:

(American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 200) or (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, pp. 200-205)

Narrative with Page Numbers:

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2013, p. 200), ...

Citing Specific Diagnostic Criteria

When referring to specific diagnostic criteria, it is useful to be as clear as possible. Generally, you will use the same principles, with details about specific disorders.

Example: To reference the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, you might say:

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2013), Major Depressive Disorder is characterized by the presence of five or more symptoms during a 2-week period… (p.160)

Example: Another way to approach this is:

The diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 160) include…

Citing DSM-5-TR

If you are using the text revision version (DSM-5-TR) you should modify your citations slightly. The revised edition has a different publication year.

Reference List Entry (DSM-5-TR)

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). *Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders* (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Note: replace the `xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx` with the actual DOI for the DSM-5-TR.

In-text citations (DSM-5-TR)

The in-text citations remain very similar to that of the regular DSM-5 version. The year will change to 2022

Parenthetical Citation:

(American Psychiatric Association, 2022)

Narrative Citation:

American Psychiatric Association (2022) states...

Parenthetical with Page Numbers:

(American Psychiatric Association, 2022, p. 200) or (American Psychiatric Association, 2022, pp. 200-205)

Narrative with Page Numbers:

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2022, p. 200), ...

Specific Situations and Considerations

Here are some additional situations to be aware of:

• Referring to Multiple Disorders: If you are referring to multiple disorders in the same sentence or paragraph, consider if a general citation is sufficient, or if you need to be more specific. For instance, if discussing anxiety disorders, you could say, “Anxiety disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) affect a significant percentage of adults…” or provide separate references.
• Online Resources (if any): If you use online material related to the DSM-5, follow the APA guidelines for citing online sources, including the URL, if no DOI is provided.
• Quoting the DSM-5: Direct quotations should be used sparingly. When you do use a direct quotation, provide the page number and enclose the quoted text in quotation marks.
• Paraphrasing the DSM-5: When paraphrasing, you must still provide an in-text citation. Paraphrasing means summarizing the DSM-5 content in your own words, and it is still considered use of another’s idea.
• Tables and Figures: If you include tables or figures that use information from the DSM-5, be sure to cite the source under the table or figure, typically using a note.

Citing the DSM-5 in Different Contexts

The approach to citing the DSM-5 might vary slightly depending on the context. Here are some examples:

• Academic Research Papers: Use the full reference entry in your reference list, and use accurate in-text citations throughout your paper. Be as detailed as possible, especially with page numbers when quoting directly.
• Clinical Documentation: While the standards might be less formal than in academic settings, clinical notes should still acknowledge the DSM-5. A common practice is to note “according to DSM-5 criteria”, or include a more detailed reference if necessary.
• Conference Presentations: Include a reference slide with the full APA style reference for the DSM-5. In your oral presentation, you can cite using in-text style format if you mention specifics.
• Grant Proposals: Follow the citation requirements laid out by the granting agency, but usually, the reference list will need a complete APA reference.
• Blog Posts and Websites: While the citation rigor may be relaxed in some blogs, including a reference to the DSM-5, even a simplified one, will enhance credibility.

Additional Resources

For further clarification and guidance on APA style, here are some resources:

• APA Style Website: The official APA style website provides extensive resources and guidelines.
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: The APA style manual is the comprehensive source for all things APA format. Check for the latest edition.
• Purdue OWL: The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a highly valuable resource for various citation styles and academic writing.
• Your University’s Writing Center: Most universities have writing centers that provide support and guidance on academic writing.

Conclusion

Citing the DSM-5 correctly is a crucial element of academic integrity, ethical research, and professional communication within mental health-related fields. By following these detailed guidelines, you can be confident that your work accurately represents the source of information, enhancing the credibility of your work and minimizing the risk of plagiarism. Remember to always verify the most up-to-date APA guidelines and specific citation requirements of your field or institution.

By consistently applying these principles and referencing the appropriate resources when in doubt, you can seamlessly incorporate the DSM-5 into your scholarly and professional work while maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity.