The DSM-5 criteria has 4 parts according to Schwitzer and Rubin. Which ONE of the following is incorrect?

• A. Etiology of the problem
• B. Symptoms
• C. Impairment
• D. Duration

Answer: (A)

DSM-5 diagnostic criteria focus on what a person experiences and how it affects functioning, not on why it happened. The four components used for diagnosis center on the symptom pattern, the level of distress or impairment, and the duration (along with any necessary rule-outs), rather than the cause of the problem. Etiology—the cause or origin of the disorder—may be explored in assessment and treatment planning, but it isn’t a required part of the diagnostic criteria itself.

For example, in major depressive disorder you diagnose based on specific symptom clusters, the presence of clinically significant distress or impairment, and a minimum duration, while avoiding attribution to a substance, medical condition, or other explanations. The cause can vary widely across individuals, but that variability does not change whether the diagnostic criteria are met.

So, labeling etiology as part of the DSM-5 criteria would be incorrect because the diagnostic framework centers on observable symptoms and their impact, not on the underlying cause.