ABSTRACT
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM) has made several changes to how the 'mood disorders' are conceptualized. In addition, due to escalating prevalence rates for diagnoses of bipolar disorder in children, the DSM-5 has added a new disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), to account for severe temper outbursts and irritable angry mood in children that might otherwise be misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder. There are two primary symptoms of DMDD: severe temper outbursts; and angry or irritable mood. The defining feature of major depressive disorder (MDD) is either a pervasive 'depressed mood state' or a loss of pleasure in daily activities; an acute condition, lasting at least 2 weeks. Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a less intense form of depression and represents a pervasive depressed mood, accompanied by two additional symptoms from the MDD list, lasting for at least 2 years without relief for more than 2 months.
