Q & A – What is Child Psychological Abuse in the DSM?

The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) includes a category of disorders called “V-codes,” which are used to indicate conditions or factors that are not considered mental disorders but may have an impact on the individual’s mental health.

One of the V-codes in the DSM-5 is V995.51, which refers to “child psychological abuse, confirmed.” This code is used to indicate that a child has been subjected to psychological abuse, which can include a wide range of behaviors such as emotional neglect, verbal abuse, excessive criticism, and other forms of psychological trauma.

It’s important to note that the DSM-5 does not provide a specific diagnosis for child psychological abuse, but rather includes this V-code as a way to acknowledge the impact of this type of abuse on a child’s mental health. The DSM-5 emphasizes the need for clinicians to carefully evaluate and document the impact of psychological abuse on a child’s development and to provide appropriate interventions to address the child’s needs.