Anxiety and DSM-5

The DSM-5 process, and the publication of DSM-5 in 2013, have had a considerable impact on the classification of anxiety disorders. Major changes included the reorganization of the chapter structure, individual groupings of disorders within each chapter from a life span viewpoint, and the use of specifiers. The DSM-5 chapter on anxiety disorders does not include obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. The chapter itself now reflects a developmental approach. The text of each disorder has been enhanced with short sections on development and course, risk and prognostic factors, etc. It is expected that the reformulation of anxiety disorders in DSM-5 will lead to greater precision in a variety of ways, as illustrated in the papers in this issue of Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. In summary, these changes in the way we classify anxiety disorders reflect our best view on the clinical empirical data and should prove useful in the assessment of specific anxiety disorders.