DSM-5 FAQ’s

What is the DSM, and what changes have recently occurred to it?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the handbook used by health care professionals as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders.

The American Psychiatric Association announced that this updated edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders incorporates significant scientific advances in more precisely identifying and diagnosing mental disorders.

What was the reason behind changing the DSM from the IV-RT to the DSM-5?

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DSM-5 EPPP Content and Test Questions added to TSM Program

The EPPP has changed.

As of August 1, the EPPP began introducing changes from the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as DSM-5 for short.

DSM-5 represents an opportunity to better integrate neuroscience and the wealth of findings from neuroimaging, genetics, and cognitive research that have emerged over the past several decades, all of which are vital to diagnosis and treatment. It also establishes a common language for researchers to study the criteria for potential future revisions and to aid in the development of medications and other interventions.

At the same time, however, there has been a great deal of uneasiness about DSM-5, particularly how it will impact the EPPP.

As I visit the EPPP forums and chat-groups, I find many people worried about DSM-5. What are the changes? How will I learn them? How will it affect the EPPP? Is everything I learned before about mental illnesses suspect and unreliable? Are my test-preparation materials up to date with DSM-5?


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Feedback From the EPPP-DSM-5 Webinar Series

The EPPP has changed!

In fact, the whole field of mental health has changed with the newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Many people who are studying to pass their EPPP have been nervous about these changes, and have been wanting to know how this will effect their psychology licencing exam.

To address these and other important concerns, TSM put on a series of live webinars earlier this autumn on DSM-5 and the EPPP. These webinars are now entirely available online through the following links:

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Part 8: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Series By the Taylor Study Method

Anyone taking the EPPP is now expected to know the material in DSM-5, the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The changes that the American Psychiatric Association introduced in DSM-5 incorporate significant scientific advances in more precisely identifying and diagnosing mental disorders.

DSM-5 represents an opportunity to better integrate neuroscience and the wealth of findings from neuroimaging, genetics, and cognitive research that have emerged over the past several decades, all of which are vital to diagnosis and treatment.

It also provides a common language for clinicians to communicate about their patients and establishes consistent and reliable diagnoses that can be used in the research of mental disorders. In addition, it establishes a common language for researchers to study the criteria for potential future revisions and to aid in the development of medications and other interventions.

Many people who are studying to pass their EPPP are nervous about these changes, and have been asking some of the following questions: What is the relationship between DSM-5 and the EPPP, and how will the former affect the later? How will I learn what I need to know for the various EPPP content areas that have been affected by DSM-5? Is everything I learned before about mental illness suspect and unreliable? Are my test-preparation materials up to date with DSM-5?

Since your EPPP success is important to us at the Taylor Study Method, we have been running a lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP. The purpose of the Taylor Study Method’s DSM-5 Learning Series series aims to

  1. to provide an overview of the content areas that the DSM-5 has integrated
  2. to identify the critical points you’ll need to remember regarding the various content areas
  3. to utilize motion graphic illustrations and footage to help you further consolidate and retain this new DSM-5 information
  4. to demonstrate how the content areas may be presented to you as a question on your licensing exam

In order to fully address these concerns, Part 8 of our lecture series looks at five mental disorders affected by DSM-5. Alternatively, the following links will take you to a video and full transcript for each of these areas:

We trust this series will be very beneficial to you as you take this final step towards licensure.

You can watch earlier parts in this lecture series, and register for future webinars, by clicking here.

Social Anxiety Disorder: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video by Taylor Study Method

The video below is the section for Social Anxiety Disorder from Part 8 of TSM’s lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, followed by a transcript. This lecture series aims to equip those preparing for the EPPP with everything you need to know about the impact DSM-5 will be having on the EPPP. To watch all of Part 8, click HERE. To watch earlier lectures in this series, or register for our webinar series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, click HERE.

Transcript of DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video: Social Anxiety Disorder

NARRATIVE DEFINITION:

An individual with Social Anxiety Disorder (also called Social Phobia) experiences significant fear (response to real or perceived imminent threat) or anxiety (anticipation of future threat) related to one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible evaluation by others. These situations may involve a public performance, meeting new people, having a conversation, or being observed. The individual fears he/she will act in a way or show signs of anxiety, leading others to evaluate him/her negatively, or in a rejecting manner. The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the social situation, and the individual may or may not recognize this disproportion. The DSM-5 allows for the diagnosis of Social Phobia with a “performance only” specifier. The fear, anxiety or avoidance typically lasts more than six months, causing clinically significant distress and/or impairment in important areas of functioning. In children the fear or anxiety should not be limited to interactions with adults: the symptoms must occur in peer settings to warrant this diagnosis. Continue reading

Specific Phobia: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video by Taylor Study Method

The video below is the section for Specific Phobia from Part 8 of TSM’s lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, followed by a transcript. This lecture series aims to equip those preparing for the EPPP with everything you need to know about the impact DSM-5 will be having on the EPPP. To watch all of Part 8, click HERE. To watch earlier lectures in this series, or register for our webinar series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, click HERE.

Transcript of DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video: Specific Phobia

NARRATIVE DEFINITION:

In Specific Phobias, individuals experience excessive and persistent fear circumscribed to the presence of a particular situation or objects, which can be referred to as phobic stimulus. The level of fear is unreasonable, meaning it is not in proportion to the actual danger presented by the stimulus. Although adults with Specific Phobias recognize the irrational nature of their fears, children often fail to realize that the intensity of their fears goes beyond what is reasonable. Continue reading

Selective Mutism: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video by Taylor Study Method

The video below is the section for Selective Mutism from Part 8 of TSM’s lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, followed by a transcript. This lecture series aims to equip those preparing for the EPPP with everything you need to know about the impact DSM-5 will be having on the EPPP. To watch all of Part 8, click HERE. To watch earlier lectures in this series, or register for our webinar series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, click HERE.

Transcript of DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video: Selective Mutism

NARRATIVE DEFINITION:

Selective Mutism is characterized by a child’s failure to speak in specific social situations in which speech is expected, despite the child’s ability and willingness to speak in other situations. Continue reading

Separation Anxiety Disorder: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video by Taylor Study Method

The video below is the section for Separation Anxiety Disorder from Part 8 of TSM’s lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, followed by a transcript. This lecture series aims to equip those preparing for the EPPP with everything you need to know about the impact DSM-5 will be having on the EPPP. To watch all of Part 8, click HERE. To watch earlier lectures in this series, or register for our webinar series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, click HERE.

Transcript of DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video: Separation Anxiety Disorder

NARRATIVE DEFINITION:

Separation Anxiety Disorder occurs when a child has excessive and developmentally inappropriate fear or anxiety related to being separated from his or her home or major attachment figure(s). Continue reading

Part 7: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Series

Anyone taking the EPPP is now expected to know the material in DSM-5, the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The changes that the American Psychiatric Association introduced in DSM-5 incorporate significant scientific advances in more precisely identifying and diagnosing mental disorders.

DSM-5 represents an opportunity to better integrate neuroscience and the wealth of findings from neuroimaging, genetics, and cognitive research that have emerged over the past several decades, all of which are vital to diagnosis and treatment.

It also provides a common language for clinicians to communicate about their patients and establishes consistent and reliable diagnoses that can be used in the research of mental disorders. In addition, it establishes a common language for researchers to study the criteria for potential future revisions and to aid in the development of medications and other interventions.

Many people who are studying to pass their EPPP are nervous about these changes, and have been asking some of the following questions: What is the relationship between DSM-5 and the EPPP, and how will the former affect the later? How will I learn what I need to know for the various EPPP content areas that have been affected by DSM-5? Is everything I learned before about mental illness suspect and unreliable? Are my test-preparation materials up to date with DSM-5?

Since your EPPP success is important to us at the Taylor Study Method, we have been running a lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP. The purpose of the Taylor Study Method’s DSM-5 Learning Series series aims to

  1. to provide an overview of the content areas that the DSM-5 has integrated
  2. to identify the critical points you’ll need to remember regarding the various content areas
  3. to utilize motion graphic illustrations and footage to help you further consolidate and retain this new DSM-5 information
  4. to demonstrate how the content areas may be presented to you as a question on your licensing exam

In order to fully address these concerns, Part 7 of our lecture series looks at five mental disorders affected by DSM-5. Alternatively, the following links will take you to a video and full transcript for each of these areas:

We trust this series will be very beneficial to you as you take this final step towards licensure.

You can watch earlier parts in this lecture series, and register for future webinars, by clicking here.

Schizophrenia: DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video by Taylor Study Method

The video below is the section for Schizophrenia from Part 7 of TSM’s lecture series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, followed by a transcript. This lecture series aims to equip those preparing for the EPPP with everything you need to know about the impact DSM-5 will be having on the EPPP. To watch all of Part 7, click HERE. To watch earlier lectures in this series, or register for our webinar series on DSM-5 and the EPPP, click HERE.

Transcript of DSM-5 EPPP Lecture Video: Schizophrenia

NARRATIVE DEFINITION:

This is a chapter in the DSM-5 that includes Schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders (e.g., Delusional Disorder, Schizoaffective Disorder), and Schizotypal Personality Disorder. They are characterized by prominent psychotic symptoms, with abnormalities in one or more of five domains: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking (as evidenced by speech), grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behavior (including catatonia), and negative symptoms. Psychosis is a symptom or feature of mental illness that leads to radical changes in personality, impaired functioning, and most characteristically, a distorted sense of objective reality, and that result from a variety of causes (genetic, drug or medication, psychosocial factors). Continue reading