Attitudes of Turkish psychiatrists towards DSM-III-R

Kortan G., Yelken B., Aksaray G., Kaptanoglu C., Seber G., Erol A.

NORDIC JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, vol.54, no.4, pp.265-268, 2000 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 54 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2000
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/080394800448138
  • Journal Name: NORDIC JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.265-268
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In 1994, a 14 item Questionnaire was given to 111 Turkish psychiatrists to determine the attitudes towards DSM-III-R. About 97% of the psychiatrists stated that a descriptive classification system is necessary. Eighty-three percent of the psychiatrists used the DSM system, 11.7% the ICD and 5.3% neither of them. Axis I was used by 98.1%. A statistically significant relationship existed between the subjects' affiliation department and the theoretical orientation of their psychiatric education and the question if the DSM-III-R criteria are too detailed and complicated to use to get a diagnosis. It was also a significant relationship between the subjects' institution and the question if the DSM-III-R focuses on signs and symptoms so much that it detracts from a more in depth understanding of the patients' problems. We believe that national surveys on classification systems will have positive effects on the improvement of a common psychiatric language.