DSM-5 APA Citation: Format, Examples & In-Text Rules
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0 sourcesDsm 5 APA Citation — In APA 7th edition, cite the DSM-5 as: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596. In text: (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
What is the correct APA reference for the DSM-5?
The DSM-5 is cited as a whole book with the American Psychiatric Association as the group author. Because the association is also the publisher, the publisher name is omitted, and the edition and DOI complete the entry.
DSM-5 (2013)American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
DSM-5-TR (2022)American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
The title is written in sentence case and italicised. Only the first word, Diagnostic, is capitalised — not “Manual” or “Mental Disorders.” The edition sits in parentheses after the title with no italics, and the DOI is presented as a live https link with no period after it.
What are the parts of a DSM-5 APA reference?
- Author — the group author, spelled out in full as American Psychiatric Association.
- Year — 2013 for the DSM-5, or 2022 for the DSM-5-TR, in parentheses.
- Title — italicised, sentence case, no subtitle needed.
- Edition — (5th ed.) or (5th ed., text rev.); publisher is omitted here.
- DOI — the stable digital object identifier as a full URL.
How do you cite the DSM-5 in text in APA?
APA in-text citations pair the group author with the year. The official APA Style example spells out American Psychiatric Association every time, in both parenthetical and narrative positions, so no separate first-versus-subsequent form is required.
| Context | DSM-5 | DSM-5-TR |
|---|---|---|
| Parenthetical | (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) | (American Psychiatric Association, 2022) |
| Narrative | American Psychiatric Association (2013) | American Psychiatric Association (2022) |
| With page/section | (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 160) | (American Psychiatric Association, 2022, p. 177) |
You may abbreviate the author to an initialism after the first mention, but APA’s own DSM example does not, and the abbreviation “APA” clashes with the American Psychological Association that publishes the style manual. To abbreviate, write (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) first, then (APA, 2013). When two different associations appear in one paper, spelling both out avoids ambiguity.
Should I cite the DSM-5 or the DSM-5-TR?
Cite the exact edition you consulted. The DSM-5-TR, released in 2022, is a text revision with updated diagnostic criteria and coding, so its year, edition label, and DOI differ from the original 2013 DSM-5. Never mix the two.
| Element | DSM-5 | DSM-5-TR |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2013 | 2022 |
| Edition label | (5th ed.) | (5th ed., text rev.) |
| DOI | …9780890425596 | …9780890425787 |
If your reference manager or database lists the manual without a DOI, the DOI is still preferred when available; both DSM editions have one, so include it.
How do I cite a specific disorder or chapter in the DSM-5?
The DSM-5 is a single authored volume rather than an edited book of separate chapters, so you cite the whole manual and point to the material with a page number in text. Do not build a chapter-style reference for an individual disorder.
In textThe manual lists nine symptom criteria for a major depressive episode (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, pp. 160–161).
NarrativeAmerican Psychiatric Association (2022) revised the criteria for prolonged grief disorder (pp. 322–327).
When quoting diagnostic criteria directly, always add the page range. When paraphrasing, the page number is optional but helps readers locate the exact section in an 1,100-page book.
What are the most common DSM-5 citation mistakes?
Most errors come from treating the manual like a standard trade book. The frequent slips below each break APA formatting or reader trust.
- Listing a personal author — the author is the association, never an individual editor or “DSM-5” itself.
- Adding a publisher — omit “American Psychiatric Publishing” because author and publisher are the same.
- Title case — write Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, not “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.”
- Dropping the edition — the (5th ed.) or (5th ed., text rev.) tag is required.
- Wrong year — 2013 for DSM-5, 2022 for DSM-5-TR; using 2022 for the original edition is a common error.
- Confusing the two APAs — the manual’s author is the American Psychiatric Association, distinct from the American Psychological Association.
How accurate is this, and what are the limits?
These formats mirror the official APA Style diagnostic-manual reference examples and the verified DOIs for both editions. They are correct for APA 7th edition as of 2026, but three limitations apply.
First, style rules evolve; confirm against your instructor’s rubric or a later APA update. Second, an automated generator can only reproduce the metadata you enter, so a wrong year or edition in equals a wrong citation out — always check the edition on the title page you actually used. Third, this guidance covers APA only; MLA, Chicago, and AMA format the DSM-5 differently, with AMA especially common in medical writing. When in doubt, cite the exact printed or online edition in hand and match its year, edition label, and DOI.
DSM-5 APA citation FAQ
What is the DSM-5 APA in-text citation?
Use (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) for the DSM-5 or (American Psychiatric Association, 2022) for the DSM-5-TR, adding a page number such as p. 160 when you quote diagnostic criteria directly.
Who is the author of the DSM-5 in an APA citation?
The author is the American Psychiatric Association, a group author. No individual editor is listed, and because the association also publishes the manual, the publisher element is omitted from the reference.
Do I include a DOI when citing the DSM-5?
Yes. Both editions have a DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596 for the 2013 DSM-5 and https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787 for the 2022 DSM-5-TR. Present it as a full https link.
How do I cite the DSM-5-TR in APA?
Write American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787. In text, use (American Psychiatric Association, 2022).
Can I abbreviate American Psychiatric Association to APA?
You can, but APA’s own DSM example does not, and “APA” also names the American Psychological Association. If you abbreviate, define it on first use: (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013), then (APA, 2013).
How do I cite a specific disorder from the DSM-5?
Cite the whole manual and add the page range in text, for example (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, pp. 160–161). The DSM-5 is one authored volume, so you do not create a separate chapter reference.