Through a Glass Darkly: The Disutility of the DSM Nosology of Depressive Disorders

Objective: To demonstrate that the dimension-weighted DSM-IV model for classifying the depressive disorders lacks utility. Method: The logical flaws in classifying the depressive disorders with any severity-based model (which underpin both the DSM-IV and ICD-10 systems) are noted. Integral definitional limitations to the DSM-IV definition of key depressive disorders are identified. It is argued that the DSM-IV classificatory system lacks utility...