Disciplines: Occupational Therapy
Hours: 3 Contact Hours
Author(s): Edward A. Selby, PhD
Peer Reviewer(s): Patricia A. Joyce, DSW
Item#: I6304
Contents: 1 Course Book (58 pages)

A Clinician’s Guide to DSM-5
Price $29.95
Item # I6304
When available, the Online Course format is included with the hard copy, eBook, or audio book formats!

This basic-level course aids occupational therapy practitioners  who are transitioning from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5 by providing them with the most essential information about the manual’s structural and diagnostic changes in a single easy-to-use source.  The course describes the newly added and classified disorders, removed or reclassified disorders, and any modified diagnostic criteria for those disorders retained in DSM-5. The course describes the history of the DSM and the development process used in creating the diagnostic system’s new structure. The course addresses the controversies and criticisms that arose with the publication of DSM-5 and the alternative diagnostic systems recently proposed. The quick reference lists and charts included in the course are an indispensable resource for those occupational therapy practitioners ready to use DSM-5.

AOTA Content Focus - OT Process - Evaluation & Intervention, Outcomes

Course Objectives

  • Describe the history of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
  • Explain the structural and organizational changes made in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).
  • Identify psychiatric diagnoses that are newly included in DSM-5.
  • Identify changes to psychiatric diagnoses that have been made in the transition from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5, including the recategorization, renaming, and modification of criteria.
  • List psychiatric disorders and their criteria that have been recommended for further study by DSM-5.
  • Describe the controversies and criticisms that have arisen from the publication of DSM-5, and the alternate diagnostic systems that have been proposed in lieu of DSM-5.
Edward A. Selby, PhD, is an assistant professor in the clinical psychology program at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Dr. Selby has sought, through extensive research and clinical experience, to improve the understanding and treatment of psychopathology. He has written more than 47 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters, many of which examine various forms of psychopathology, including personality disorders and eating disorders. Much of his work is aimed at understanding the emotional experiences that precede the onset of maladaptive behaviors, such as nonsuicidal self-injury and binge eating episodes, as well as the negative emotional and social consequences that result from such behavior. He and his colleagues have also been investigators and proponents for the inclusion of a nonsuicidal self-injury disorder in a future version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Dr. Selby’s research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Dr. Selby has been extensively trained in cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions. Dr. Selby’s recent work has expanded to include developing new treatments for emotional and behavioral problems using daily digital assessment via smart phones. At Rutgers, Dr. Selby regularly teaches graduate level and undergraduate level courses on psychopathology and diagnostic assessment.
Patricia A. Joyce, DSW, is an associate professor at Adelphi University School of Social Work, where she teaches in the human behavior sequence. She recently revised and taught the required advanced-year MSW course on diagnosis and assessment according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Dr. Joyce received her BA from St. John’s College, Annapolis, Maryland, her MSW from Hunter College, and her DSW from the CUNY Graduate Center. Dr. Joyce has published and presented nationally and internationally; her research focuses on trauma, culture, mental health, interpersonal violence, and online learning. She has worked in a child abuse treatment program and inpatient psychiatric units with children, adolescents, and their families. In addition to her scholarly work, Dr. Joyce has consulted to social service and mental health agencies in the New York area.
  • Courses must be completed within one (1) year of the date of purchase.
  • You must score 75% or higher on the final exam and complete the course evaluation to pass this course and receive a certificate of completion.
  • Through our review processes, Western Schools ensures that the course content is presented in a balanced, unbiased manner and is free from commercial influence. It is Western Schools’ policy not to accept commercial support.
  • All persons involved in the planning and development of this course have disclosed no relevant financial relationships or other conflicts of interest related to the course content.
  • There are no prerequisites for this course.


Shipping Notice: We will be performing Inventory from Thursday through Sunday (6/22/2017 - 6/25/2017). You may continue to place orders during this time, but shipping (or returns) for any hard copy items may be delayed. Shipping will resume as normal on Monday, 6/26/17. Any online courses ordered will still be available immediately.