Other Specified Depressive Disorders

Other Specified Depressive Disorders is a category of DSM-5 diagnoses that applies to individuals who have symptoms characteristic of a depressive disorder (e.g. - major depressive disorder), but do not meet the full criteria for any of them. “Other Specified” diagnoses are not limited to these disorders and are used throughout the DSM-5 to capture presentations where individuals have significant clinical impairment but do not meet standard criteria.^[1]

• Concurrent presence of depressed mood and at least 4 other symptoms of depression for 2 to 13 days at least once per month (not associated with the menstrual cycle) for at least 12 consecutive months in an individual whose presentation has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder and does not currently meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder.

• Depressed affect and at least 4 of the other eight symptoms of a major depressive episode associated with clinically significant distress or impairment that persists for more than 4 days, but less than 14 days, in an individual whose presentation has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder, does not currently meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder, and does not meet criteria for recurrent brief depression.

• Depressed affect and at least 1 of the other eight symptoms of a major depressive episode associated with clinically significant distress or impairment that persist for at least 2 weeks in an individual whose presentation has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder, does not currently meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder, and does not meet criteria for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms.