From Book News, Inc.
Simplifies and interprets the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and teaches professionals and clinicians how to apply the new criteria to patients. Explains how to derive a complete five-axis diagnosis, and covers diagnostic processes for each DSM-IV category, emphasizing key traits and factors and using case vignettes and evaluations. Includes chapter guides outlining every diagnosis, cross-references to disorders with similar symptoms, tips highlighting diagnostic information, and coding notes. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.


Review
"This is a book to refer to when you need quick, clear information on a specific mental condition or diagnosis....Students wanting to test their ability to identify symptoms and signs embedded in the case vignettes can compare their observations with the author's notes. Faculty members may use the case vignettes as examples in class. Occupational therapy practitioners working in non-mental health settings may find this an easy way to update their understanding of DSM-IV language."/m-/The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (Virginia Carroll Stoffel, October 1996)

"....Morrison's book is like a good workshop explaining the DSM-IV: useful simplifications and practical tips. He also offers cases to help learn the diagnostic criteria. There is a nice appendix which shows how general medical disorders may impact different psychiatric diagnoses. There is an eight page double column index. This would make a good textbook for training mental health professionals."/m-/Clinical Gerontologist 16:3

"Designed to cut through the detail and complexity of the DSM IV, Morrison gives the reader a user-friendly reference book to use in making adult diagnoses or in learning about diagnostic thinking...DSM IV MADE EASY was designed to be accessible to students and experienced clinicians from all the mental health professions...the tone of the book is conversational, personal, and lively. Morrison's presentation of the diagnostic process was neither obfuscating nor mystifying. The reader is ¿walked through' the diagnostic process in a way that, especially to the student, would make evaluation seem manageable and masterable...Morrison's book has much to recommend it...It is a useful companion to the DSM IV, especially because of the vignettes, simplified language and criteria, and gentle pedagogical style."/m-/Clinical Social Work Journal

"Compared to the 900-page DSM IV, [this] book has simpler language, useful explanations of psychiatric terms, chatty diagnostic ¿tips,' and simplified criteria lists for the disorders. Unlike the DSM, which was put together by a committee with the goal of providing standards for research as well as clinical practice, DSM-IV MADE EASY was designed to be accessible to students and experienced clinicians from all the mental health professions....The tone of the book is conversational, personal, and lively." \m-\ Clinical Social Work Journal

"This book helps professional quickly learn how to apply the new criteria to patients. Every DSM-IV diagnosis is simplified and interpreted, emphasizing what a clinician needs to know most when making a diagnosis."/m-/ADOLESCENCE



Samuel B. Guze, M.D., Spencer T. Olin Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine
A skillful writer, a highly experienced clinician, an excellent teacher, Dr. James Morrison has authored a book that should be of interest to a wide audience including psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, as well as some people whose interest in the subject has nothing to do with a professional orientation. I believe the reader will learn much about psychiatric diagnosis, including its current strengths and weaknesses and a good deal about its underlying philosophy and importance


Ilene J. Philipson, Ph.D.
This is an invaluable text. Morrison's richly descriptive cases make the otherwise lifeless DSM-IV come alive. If you have this book, you have everything you need


Jane Close Conoley, Ph.D.
An extremely useful text....Morrison has put life' into the DSM-IV criteria with his strategic use of strong vignettes and important tips' for using psychiatric code....A real contribution to the thorny problem of constructing meaningful descriptions of patients' difficulties


Review
"This is a book to refer to when you need quick, clear information on a specific mental condition or diagnosis....Students wanting to test their ability to identify symptoms and signs embedded in the case vignettes can compare their observations with the author's notes. Faculty members may use the case vignettes as examples in class. Occupational therapy practitioners working in non-mental health settings may find this an easy way to update their understanding of DSM-IV language."/m-/The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (Virginia Carroll Stoffel, October 1996)

"....Morrison's book is like a good workshop explaining the DSM-IV: useful simplifications and practical tips. He also offers cases to help learn the diagnostic criteria. There is a nice appendix which shows how general medical disorders may impact different psychiatric diagnoses. There is an eight page double column index. This would make a good textbook for training mental health professionals."/m-/Clinical Gerontologist 16:3

"Designed to cut through the detail and complexity of the DSM IV, Morrison gives the reader a user-friendly reference book to use in making adult diagnoses or in learning about diagnostic thinking...DSM IV MADE EASY was designed to be accessible to students and experienced clinicians from all the mental health professions...the tone of the book is conversational, personal, and lively. Morrison's presentation of the diagnostic process was neither obfuscating nor mystifying. The reader is ¿walked through' the diagnostic process in a way that, especially to the student, would make evaluation seem manageable and masterable...Morrison's book has much to recommend it...It is a useful companion to the DSM IV, especially because of the vignettes, simplified language and criteria, and gentle pedagogical style."/m-/Clinical Social Work Journal

"Compared to the 900-page DSM IV, [this] book has simpler language, useful explanations of psychiatric terms, chatty diagnostic ¿tips,' and simplified criteria lists for the disorders. Unlike the DSM, which was put together by a committee with the goal of providing standards for research as well as clinical practice, DSM-IV MADE EASY was designed to be accessible to students and experienced clinicians from all the mental health professions....The tone of the book is conversational, personal, and lively." \m-\ Clinical Social Work Journal

"This book helps professional quickly learn how to apply the new criteria to patients. Every DSM-IV diagnosis is simplified and interpreted, emphasizing what a clinician needs to know most when making a diagnosis."/m-/ADOLESCENCE



Book Description
DSM-IV presents a challenging task for all clinicians. Just reviewing the diagnostic standards is time consuming and often confusing even for the most experienced practitioner; and what is more, learning the standards alone does not immediately translate into clinical application.

This book helps professionals quickly learn how to apply the diagnostic criteria to patients. Every DSM-IV diagnosis is simplified and clearly interpreted, emphasizing what the clinician needs to know most when making a diagnosis. Case vignettes, extensive evaluations, and the author's informed commentary combine to enable mental health practitioners to readily incorporate DSM-IV into practice.

Taking the reader step-by-step through the diagnostic process for every DSM-IV category, the author clearly explains how to derive a complete, five-axis diagnosis. Each set of criteria is discussed in detail, illustrated by a vivid clinical vignette and interpreted in lucid terms. With this logical organization, the book provides a full course in diagnostic thinking, presented by a master clinician who has evaluated and treated over 15,000 patients.

Among the many helpful features:

*QUICK GUIDES in each chapter concisely outline every diagnosis, cross-referencing disorders that can result in similar symptoms. This feature alone provides a complete catalog of which symptoms define a disorder, and how these relate to other disorders.

*TIPS throughout the text highlight crucial diagnostic information.

*CLINICAL VIGNETTES richly illustrate the work and serve as the principal teaching device. Over 100 detailed case histories provide a framework for understanding the diagnostic criteria, giving the reader a genuine sense of each disorder.

*EVALUATION of the patient is clearly described in each vignette. The author identifies the most likely of the differential diagnoses, shows how the patient fits the criteria, and explains why other diagnoses are unlikely.

* CODING NOTES follow many criteria lists, supplying additional information about coding, subtypes, and specifiers when relevant.

An indispensable resource for clinical practice, this book is also ideal for mental health professionals preparing for licensing exams. It serves as a valuable introductory text for students needing to develop a framework for diagnostic understanding.



Book Info
University of California, Davis. Practical handbook for psychiatrists and residents on how to use the DSM-IV to arrive at a complete, five-axis diagnosis. Features include quick guides, tips, clinical vignettes, and coding notes. DNLM: Mental Disorders - diagnosis.


About the Author
James Morrison, MD, was educated at Reed College and obtained his medical and psychiatric training at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University. He is the author of The First Interview, DSM-IV Made Easy, and When Psychological Problems Mask Medical Disorders, and coauthor (with Thomas F. Anders) of Interviewing Children and Adolescents.

ANNOTATION

The book contains no figures.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

DSM-IV presents a challenging task for all clinicians. Just reviewing these diagnostic standards is time consuming and often confusing even to the most experienced practitioner, but learning the standards alone does not immediately translate into clinical application. This book helps professionals quickly learn how to apply the new criteria to patients. Every DSM-IV diagnosis is simplified and clearly interpreted, emphasizing what a clinician needs to know most when making a diagnosis. Case vignettes, extensive evaluations, and the author's informed commentary combine to enable mental health practitioners to readily incorporate DSM-IV into practice. Designed to take the reader step-by-step through the diagnostic process for every DSM-IV category, the author clearly explains how to derive a complete, five-axis diagnosis. Each set of criteria is discussed in detail, illustrated by a vivid clinical vignette and interpreted in lucid terms. With this logical organization, the book provides a full course in diagnostic thinking, presented by a master clinician who has evaluated and treated over 15,000 patients.

FROM THE CRITICS

Sahana Misra

This book presents the information contained in the DSM-IV in a user-friendly way. The criteria for making diagnoses are clearly explained and are accompanied by clinical vignettes, chapter outlines, tips, and coding notes. The purpose is to make the DSM-IV easier to understand and more applicable for clinical use in all mental health professions. This book is primarily targeted at mental health professionals and psychiatry residents. However, because of its well-written and simplified text, it would make an excellent book for medical students during their psychiatry rotations and for other students in mental health fields. Each chapter begins with a quick guide that provides an outline of the diagnoses to be discussed. In this section, cross-references are provided for other diagnoses that may have similar symptoms. Interspersed within the text are valuable tips providing definitions to some vague terms used in the DSM-IV as well as interesting historical information. There are several clinical vignettes provided in each chapter that help to elucidate the diagnoses even further. This book provides a simplified and thorough explanation of the material presented in the DSM-IV. It is a useful source of information that can be used as a primary text for students and as a supplemental text for all mental health professionals. It also would be a practical addition to any health sciences library.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Sahana Misra, MD (Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center)Description: This book presents the information contained in the DSM-IV in a user-friendly way. The criteria for making diagnoses are clearly explained and are accompanied by clinical vignettes, chapter outlines, tips, and coding notes. Purpose: The purpose is to make the DSM-IV easier to understand and more applicable for clinical use in all mental health professions. Audience: This book is primarily targeted at mental health professionals and psychiatry residents. However, because of its well-written and simplified text, it would make an excellent book for medical students during their psychiatry rotations and for other students in mental health fields. Features: Each chapter begins with a quick guide that provides an outline of the diagnoses to be discussed. In this section, cross-references are provided for other diagnoses that may have similar symptoms. Interspersed within the text are valuable tips providing definitions to some vague terms used in the DSM-IV as well as interesting historical information. There are several clinical vignettes provided in each chapter that help to elucidate the diagnoses even further. Assessment: This book provides a simplified and thorough explanation of the material presented in the DSM-IV. It is a useful source of information that can be used as a primary text for students and as a supplemental text for all mental health professionals. It also would be a practical addition to any health sciences library.

Booknews

Simplifies and interprets the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and teaches professionals and clinicians how to apply the new criteria to patients. Explains how to derive a complete five-axis diagnosis, and covers diagnostic processes for each DSM-IV category, emphasizing key traits and factors and using case vignettes and evaluations. Includes chapter guides outlining every diagnosis, cross-references to disorders with similar symptoms, tips highlighting diagnostic information, and coding notes. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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