Specifier (psychology)

Specifiers are extensions to a diagnosis to further clarify a disorder or illness.[1] They allow for a more specific diagnosis. They are used extensively in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) primarily in the diagnosis of mood disorders. Specifiers are not mutually exclusive and more than one specifier may be applied on a patient.[2]

## Types of specifier

In bipolar disorder, specifiers describe the nature of a current episode, such as the levels of anxiety, melancholia, and psychosis, and whether moods are congruent with behavior or incongruent.[3] They also describe the ongoing nature of recurrent episodes, when they began, how often they occur, and the pattern of re-occurrence. A postpartum onset specifier can be applied in major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder if the onset is within four weeks after childbirth.[4]

## References

1. ↑ Purse 2017
2. ↑ American Psychiatric Association 2013
3. ↑ "What Are Specifiers in Bipolar Disorder?". https://www.verywell.com/mood-incongruent-380034. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
4. ↑ "Specifiers for Mood Disorders". http://www.europeanmedical.info/psychology-basics/specifiers-for-mood-disorders.html. Retrieved 16 January 2018.

## Bibliography

* Purse, Marcia (July 5, 2017). "What Are Specifiers in Bipolar Disorder?". Verywell. https://www.verywell.com/what-are-specifiers-379957.
* American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Publishing.

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