The “Ins” and “Outs” of the Depressive Disorders Section of DSM‐5

In this article, we review and evaluate changes in the depressive disorders section from DSM‐IV to DSM‐5. We describe characteristics of three new depressive disorders: disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and persistent depressive disorder. We also discuss the controversial decision in DSM‐5 to remove the bereavement exclusion from the criteria for major depressive disorder. Next, we review the decision to replace the diagnosis of depressive disorder not otherwise specified with two new diagnoses: other specified depressive disorder and unspecified depressive disorder. Finally, we discuss the inclusion of two novel specifiers in the DSM‐5 depressive disorders section: “with anxious distress” and “with mixed features.” For each of these changes, we examine the relevant research and discuss implications of the changes for research and clinical practice.