Citing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (or DSM) is a common task in psychology and humanities papers about mental disorders. It seems tricky because the author is also the publisher, the American Psychiatric Association. But it’s straightforward once you see the patterns. This guide focuses on the APA and MLA formats, the styles you’ll most likely use for this specific diagnostic source for mental disorders.
TLDR: For your reference list, treat the American Psychiatric Association as the author. The title is Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. For APA, the in-text citation is (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For MLA, it’s typically (American Psychiatric Association 150). For the newer text rev (2022), just add “(text rev.)” after the edition.
Reference List Examples: APA vs. MLA
Your paper will likely cite one of two versions of the 5th edition statistical manual. The original statistical manual of mental disorders was published in 2013, and the “Text Revision” (or DSM-5-TR) came out in 2022. You must cite the specific statistical manual you used, as their diagnostic information can differ. It’s a point of academic honesty, really.
APA Style (7th Edition) Reference
Standard DSM-5 (from 2013) – American Psychiatric Association 2013
American Psychiatric Association. (2013).
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Text Revision DSM-5-TR (from 2022)
American Psychiatric Association. (2022).
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
MLA Style (9th Edition) Works Cited
MLA’s basic format is different. It requires the publisher’s name (even if it’s the same as the author) and uses a DOI link. Note the different punctuation and capitalization for the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Standard DSM-5 (from 2013)
American Psychiatric Association.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
5th ed.,
American Psychiatric Association, 2013.
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.
Text Revision DSM-5-TR (from 2022)
American Psychiatric Association.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
5th ed., text rev.,
American Psychiatric Association, 2022.
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.
Note: If you use a print version, the reference ends after the year (for MLA) or the edition (for APA). But most of the time, you’ll be using the online version with a DOI.
How to Handle In-Text Citations (APA vs. MLA)
When you discuss the statistical manual of mental disorders in your paragraphs, you need an in-text citation.
APA Style In-Text Citations
The first time, you must write out the full author and title. After that, you can use abbreviations. This makes your writing much smoother. You can use DSM-5 in the narrative, and the abbreviation “APA” for the parenthetical citation. This is a great way to avoid repetition.
First mention in text:
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) provides the official diagnostic criteria for mental disorders. This manual of mental disorders is a core text.
Subsequent parenthetical citation:
…this classification of mental disorders (APA, 2013). This American Psychiatric Association 2013 citation is parenthetical.
MLA Style In-Text Citations
MLA’s in-text citation is simpler, focusing on the author and page number. You don’t need the year in the parenthetical citation. This statistical manual is a large manual of mental disorders, so page numbers are needed for a specific idea.
First mention in text:
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) provides official diagnostic criteria (American Psychiatric Association 150).
Subsequent parenthetical citation:
…this classification of mental disorders (American Psychiatric Association 151).
Subsequent narrative reference:
The DSM-5 organizes anxiety disorders differently (American Psychiatric Association 190-195).
Citing a Chapter (APA vs. MLA)
Sometimes you don’t cite the whole diagnostic manual, but just one chapter (like the one on anxiety disorders). The American Psychiatric Association is *still* the author of this statistical manual.
Reference for a chapter (e.g., APA Style, DSM-5-TR):
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Anxiety disorders. In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x05_Anxiety_Disorders
Reference for a chapter (e.g., MLA Style, DSM-5-TR):
American Psychiatric Association. “Anxiety Disorders.” Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text rev., American Psychiatric Association, 2022, pp. 215-263. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x05_Anxiety_Disorders
This specific manual of mental disorders is the 5th ed text rev.
A Note on the ICD
You may also see references to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). This is a different diagnostic book from the World Health Organization (WHO). The APA diagnostic codes in the DSM are actually based on the ICD system. Citing the World Health Organization follows a similar basic format where the organization is the author.
Quick Questions (FAQ)
Do I italicize DSM-5 in my paper?
Yes. According to both APA and MLA guidelines, you should italicize the full title Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and its abbreviation, DSM-5, just as you would any book title.
What about the American Psychiatric Association 2013 version in APA?
The American Psychiatric Association 2013 reference is the standard 5th edition for APA. You just use the 2013 example above. The 2022 reference is *only* for the “5th ed text rev.” (Text Revision). Always check your book’s copyright page to see which one you’re holding.
What about a direct quote from the statistical manual?
For a direct quote in APA, add a page number: (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 150). For MLA, you also use the author and page: (American Psychiatric Association 150). This points your reader to the exact diagnostic information from the manual of mental disorders.
This is an American Psychiatric Association 2013 reference.
This is a lot. Is there an easier way?
Understanding the basic format is good, but for speed, a citation generator can be a huge help. Just be sure to double-check its output against the official diagnostic manual reference examples from the APA or an MLA handbook. For more general help, check out this guide to Mastering Citations.