DSM-IV-TR Casebook: Experts Tell How They Treated Their Own Patients, Vol. 2 » (2nd Edition)

Robert L. Spitzer, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and Chief of the Biometrics Research Department at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

Michael B. First, M.D., is a Research Psychiatrist at the Biometrics Department at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and maintains a schema-focused cognitive therapy and psychopharmacology practice in Manhattan.

Janet B. W. Williams, D.S.W., is Professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Deputy Chief of the Biometrics Research Department at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

Miriam Gibbon, M.S.W., is a research scientist in the Biometrics Department of the New York State Psychiatric Institute and is on the faculty of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry.

The groundbreaking DSM-IV-TR® Casebook, Volume 2: Experts Tell How They Treated Their Own Patients is unique among casebooks because—unlike other casebooks (including the editors' own previous casebook), which include descriptions of cases from clinical practice, discussions of the differential diagnosis, and suggested treatments—it features experts who go beyond the standard case description by detailing their own treatment approaches in interesting cases from their own practices. A must-have for every mental health care student, educator, and professional, this fascinating casebook features

• A remarkable 53 expert contributors, selected with great care by the editors to ensure that their case studies span the full range of psychological, psychosocial, and pharmacological treatment approaches.
• An unprecedented 33 case studies divided into 14 sections, with topics ranging from illnesses first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence—including an illuminating study of childhood bipolar disorder—to illnesses of old age, such as delirium and dementia.
• Unparalleled depth of detail, in that every case study includes a summary of the patient's presenting symptoms, problems, history of present illness and past history, the expert's differential diagnosis and reasons for choosing a particular therapy, their initial treatment goals, how they explained the treatment to the patient and the patient's reaction, what actually went on in the sessions, the expert's thoughts and feelings during the treatment process, and how the patient changed over time.
• An unmatched range of topics, including case studies of mental disorders due to a general medical condition, substance abuse disorders, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, somatoform and factitious disorders, dissociative disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders, eating disorders, and impulse-control and personality disorders.
• A logical structure that promotes ease of use in that these all-new case studies are presented in the order in which the diagnoses appear in the DSM-IV-TR classification; cases can be located by diagnosis, treatment modality, case name, or clinician.

DSM-IV-TR® Casebook, Volume 2: Experts Tell How They Treated Their Own Patients is simply the essential casebook for mental health care students, residents, educators, professionals, and interested laypersons everywhere.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Steven T. Herron, MD(University of Arizona Health Sciences Center)
Description:Written as a complement to the DSM-IV-TR, this book addresses the specific treatments provided by experienced psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers for various psychiatric disorders with descriptions of clinical reasoning for these decisions and their resulting outcomes.
Purpose:Unlike other references published for use with the DSM-IV-TR, this book attempts to present an understanding of a provider's evidence-based treatment decisions in clinically challenging cases, with an explanation of the outcomes and additional treatment decisions that were implemented.
Audience:While useful for those interested in the intricacies of treating mental disorders, this book is targeted at a clinical audience, namely treating psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and therapists, as well as trainees in these fields.
Features:Divided by chapter, this book is purposely organized in the same manner as the DSM-IV-TR for easy accessibility for those familiar with its layout. Chapters consist of cases, beginning with a brief history of the individual and encompassing diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and a final section ("Discussion") that includes the author's impressions, suggestions, and ideas about the case with the benefit of hindsight. Chapters are relatively short and contain references for further investigation.
Assessment:It is difficult to offer a comparison of this book to others, as it is unique in its purpose and structure, but it is well written and quite interesting. While it may offer the reader some ideas about how to proceed in treating a particular patient, it is far more valuable in relating the subtle, challenging, and often frustrating factors associated with caring for individuals with psychiatric problems, even for the experts. It also should cause readers to examine their own methods of determining treatment for patients and challenge them to use the best scientific evidence available in making these treatment plans.

Foreword. Preface. Disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. Delirium, dementia, and amnestic and other cognitive disorders. Mental disorders due to a general medical condition. Substance-related disorders. Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Mood disorders. Anxiety disorders. Somatoform disorders. Factitious disorders. Dissociative disorders. Sexual and gender identity disorders. Eating disorders. Impulse-control disorders. Personality disorders. Index.