Axis I Disorders in DSM-IV


Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence

Disorders in this group tend to emerge and sometimes dissipate before adult life. They include pervasive developmental disorders (such as autism); learning disorders; attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder; conduct disorders; and separation anxiety disorder.


Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, and Other Cognitive Disorders

These disorders are dominated by impairment in cognitive functioning. They include Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease.


Mental Disorders Due to a General Medical Condition

These are mental disorders that are caused primarily by a general medical disorder. They include mood disorder due to a general medical condition.


Substance-Related Disorders

These disorders are brought about by the use of substances that affect the central nervous system, such as alcohol use disorders, opioid use disorders, amphetamine use disorders, cocaine use disorders, and hallucinogen use disorders.


Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

In this group of disorders, functioning deteriorates until the patient reaches a state of psychosis, or loss of contact with reality.


Mood Disorders

Disorders in this group are marked by severe disturbances of mood that cause people to feel extremely and inappropriately sad or elated for extended periods of time. They include major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.


Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is the predominant disturbance in this group of disorders. They include generalized anxiety disorders, phobic disorders, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, acute stress disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.


Somatoform Disorders

These disorders, marked by physical symptoms that apparently are caused primarily by psychological rather than physiological factors, include pain disorders, conversion disorders, somatization disorder, and hypochondriasis.


Fractitious Disorders

People with these disorders intentionally produce or feign psychological or physical symptoms.


Dissociative Disorders

These disorders are characterized by a change in the usually integrated functions of memory and identity.They include dissociative amnesia; dissociative fugue; and dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder).


Eating Disorders

People with these disorders display abnormal patterns of eating that significantly impair their functioning. The disorders include anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.


Sexual Disorders and Gender Identity Disorders

These disorders in sexual functioning, behavior, or preferences include paraphilias, sexual dysfunctions, and gender identity disorder.


Sleep Disorders

People with these disorders display chronic sleep problems. The disorders include primary insomnia, primary hypersomnia, sleep terror disorder, and sleepwalking disorder.


Impulse-Control Disorders

People with these disorders are chronically unable to resist impulses, drives, or temptations to perform certain acts that are harmful to them or to others. The disorders include pathological gambling; kleptomania; pyromania; and intermittent explosive disorders.


Adjustment Disorder

The primary feature of these disorders is a maladaptive reaction to a clear stressor such as divorce or business difficulties that occur within three months after the onset of the stressor.


Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention

This category consists of certain conditions or problems that are worth noting because they cause significant impairment, sucha s relational problems, problems related to abuse or neglect, medication-induced movement disorders, and psychophysiological disorders.


Source: APA, 1994.
Last Updated: 1-Oct-97
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