Final answer:
The DSM-IV-TR utilized a five-axis system for evaluation, but the DSM-5 did away with the multi-axial approach to integrate clinical information more holistically.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of axes the previous version of the DSM, DSM-IV-TR, utilized along which clients were evaluated is five. The DSM-IV-TR used a multi-axial system to provide a comprehensive diagnosis that included a range of information about a person’s functioning. The five axes were:
- Axis I – Clinical Syndromes, such as depression or anxiety.
- Axis II – Personality Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities.
- Axis III – General Medical Conditions that may be relevant to the individual's mental disorder.
- Axis IV – Psychosocial and Environmental Problems contributing to the disorder, like unemployment.
- Axis V – Global Assessment of Functioning, or GAF, to indicate overall psychological functioning on a scale from 0 to 100.
The DSM-5, however, moved away from the multi-axial system and instead focuses on dimensional assessments for diagnosing disorders. This change was made to improve the diagnostic process by integrating important clinical information more holistically, rather than separating psychological and medical considerations into different axes.