Which statement about DSM organization is true?

• A. It includes continuous severity scales
• B. The DSM retained the multiaxial assessment system
• C. It excludes empirical grounding
• D. It has no chapter headings

Answer: (A)

The way the DSM is organized emphasizes describing how severe a condition is along a continuum, not just whether it is present or absent. In modern editions, clinicians can add severity specifiers—such as mild, moderate, or severe—and other dimensional features to indicate how intense the symptoms are or how much they impact functioning. This continuous assessment of severity helps tailor treatment and communicate prognosis, making it the best fit for describing DSM organization.

The other statements don’t fit: the multiaxial assessment system was removed in newer editions, so that isn’t how the DSM is organized now; the DSM is grounded in empirical research and field testing, not excluded from empirical grounding; and it is organized into chapters with clear headings, not without chapter structure.