At midnight tonight, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released a proposed draft of the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Some notable changes:
-Addition of dimensional assessments
-Addition of standardized way to assess disorder severity
- Binge Eating Disorder added to eating disorders
- Asperger Syndrome removed and folded into the autism spectrum disorder umbrella
-Addition of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
In addition, there are several proposed changes to 302.85: Gender Identity Disorder in Adolescents or Adults:
* The default wait period for diagnosis-indicative questions has dropped from a year to six months.
* The "distress/impairment" requirement is proposed to be dropped. Also huge. Basically, this means that you can be diagnosed without saying "I am going to die unless something changes."
* It is proposed that the name gender identity disorder (GID) be replaced by "Gender Incongruence" (GI), because "...in a recent survey ... many very clearly indicated their rejection of the GID term because, in their view, it contributes to the stigmatization of their condition."
The APA is seeking public comment from health professionals, consumers of mental health services, and family members of people with mental disorders until April 20, 2010.
The DSM-5 will be published in May 2013.
http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevision....aspx?rid=193#
302.85: Gender Identity Disorder in Adolescents or Adults