Is the DMS categorical or dimensional?

[Sabrina19]

Having trouble with 1 question- asks: What approach does the DMS-IV and ICD-10 take to classify mental illnesses?

I know for ICD it's the Categorical Approach. I remember my teacher said they are both Categorical Approach but in the textbook mentions that the DSM leads to a more dimensional approach! Can someone help me out with this! Thanks heaps!  

[Slumdawg]

The DSM-IV is categorical. There's a push towards dimensional approaches, and a select few mental disorders in the new DSM-5 take a more dimensional approach to diagnosis, e.g. in assessing schizophrenia, one section of the diagnosis is dimensional. However, tradition has stuck for most of them and they are mostly categorical.

[Sabrina19]

thanks! got it now!