Relations Between DSM-IV and Empirically Based Assessment

Abstract

Similarities and differences between the DSM-IV and empirically based approaches to behavioral/emotional problems are presented. Similarities include: explicit specification of criterial problems; descriptive similarities between some DSM diagnostic categories and empirically based syndromes; and statistically significant agreement between some DSM diagnoses and empirically based syndrome scores. Differences include: use of a nosological versus psychometric model; judgment of problems as present-absent versus quantitative scoring of problems; choice of categories and criteria by committees versus derivation of syndromes from quantitative data; identical cutpoints for both genders, different ages, and different sources of data versus cutpoints based on norms for gender, age, and type of informant; data obtained by diagnostician's decision versus use of standardized forms; nonspecific comparisons of multi-source data versus explicit comparisons between cross-informant scores and correlations; endproducts are present-absent diagnoses versus norm-referenced profiles showing item and syndrome scores. A case example illustrates applications of the two approaches to school based assessment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Thomas M. Achenbach

Thomas M. Achenbach, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology and Director of the Center for Children, Youth, and Families in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont. His interests include developmental and empirically based approaches to psychopathology.

Stephanie H. McConaughy

Stephanie H. McConaughy, PhD, is Research Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont. Her research interests include multimethod assessment of children's behavioral/emotional and learning problems and their long-term outcomes.