Milestones for a Critical Theory of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

Published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM) is a central instrument in scientific research and clinical practice. From the time of its first publication in 1952 until today, the manual has undergone successive revisions. The recent online publication of the draft of the new version (DSM-V) set to appear in 2013 may be called a “historic” event since it finally makes the revision process transparent and opens the review process to a larger number of people, which is a key component in ensuring the democratic construction of a manual that is becoming increasingly rigorous. Whereas the criticism is both lively and controversial in the Anglo-Saxon world, it is much more discreet in the French world despite the fact that this manual is widely used and cited in France. The purpose of this paper is to lay the groundwork for a critical theory of the DSM, its design, and its development in order to put its monopolistic character into better perspective.