Distress and fear disorders: an alternative empirically based taxonomy of the ‘mood’ and ‘anxiety’ disorders

Lee Anna Clark
David Watson, University of Iowa

Abstract

The nosological organisation of DSM–IV and ICD–10 does not capture the empirical structure of the mood and anxiety disorders. Instead, they form a broad group of ‘internalising’ disorders with two subclasses: distress disorders and fear disorders. This empirical structure should form the basis for revised taxonomies in DSM–V and ICD–11.