Definition:
Diagnostic criteria describe the duration, severity and context of symptoms that a person must report or display in order to be diagnosed with a particular illness such as OCD. Diagnostic criteria for mental illnesses are outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-IV. To be diagnosed with a mental illness, you usually have to have most -- but not all -- of the criteria described. These criteria are revised regularly by panels of leading mental health experts based on new clinical and basic research findings.
