A MODEL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND DIAGNOSIS OF RELATIONAL DISORDERS

Important and common relational conditions, such as severe couple dysf unction and family violence invoking child or elder abuse, have been o mitted from DSM-IV the authors believe. They argue that such condition s can exist independently of severe individual psychopathology and tha t these conditions should be described in relational terms, with speci fic diagnostic criteria. They outline a classification of relational d isorders and propose its addition to axis I of DSM-IV. This classifica tion scheme focuses on severe family dysfunction; problems of living u sually treated by couple and family therapists are intentionally omitt ed. Descriptions of two relational disorders, written in DSM style, ar e provided. The authors discuss implications for the treatment and reh abilitation of patients, the future training of psychiatrists, and the direction of research.