DSM-5-TR Quick Reference for Licensing Exams
This cheat sheet covers the diagnostic criteria and key features of the disorders most frequently tested on the LCSW, NCE, and NCMHCE exams. Focus on duration requirements, required symptom counts, and critical rule-outs.
Depressive Disorders
| Disorder | Duration | Key Criteria | Rule Out |
|---|
| Major Depressive Disorder | 2+ weeks | 5+ symptoms (must include depressed mood or anhedonia); significant distress or impairment | Bipolar disorder, substance use, medical condition |
| Persistent Depressive Disorder | 2+ years (1 year for children/adolescents) | Depressed mood most days plus 2+ additional symptoms; never without symptoms for more than 2 months | MDD, cyclothymia, substance use |
| Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder | Majority of menstrual cycles over 1 year | 5+ symptoms in the luteal phase; remit within days of menses onset | PMS, mood disorders, medical conditions |
Anxiety Disorders
| Disorder | Duration | Key Criteria | Distinguishing Feature |
|---|
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder | 6+ months | Excessive worry about multiple domains; 3+ physical symptoms (restlessness, fatigue, concentration difficulty, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance) | Worry is diffuse, not focused on specific object/situation |
| Social Anxiety Disorder | 6+ months | Fear of social situations where scrutiny is possible; fear of negative evaluation | Fear is specifically about social/performance situations |
| Panic Disorder | 1+ month of concern/behavioral change | Recurrent unexpected panic attacks; persistent worry about additional attacks or maladaptive behavior change | Attacks are unexpected (not triggered) |
| Specific Phobia | 6+ months | Marked fear about a specific object or situation; phobic stimulus almost always provokes anxiety | Fear is circumscribed to specific stimulus |
| Agoraphobia | 6+ months | Fear of 2+ of: public transport, open spaces, enclosed spaces, crowds, being outside home alone | Fear of situations where escape may be difficult |
Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders
| Disorder | Duration | Key Criteria | Distinguishing Feature |
|---|
| PTSD | 1+ month | Exposure to trauma; intrusion symptoms, avoidance, negative cognition/mood changes, arousal/reactivity changes | Duration over 1 month; specific trauma exposure required |
| Acute Stress Disorder | 3 days to 1 month | Same trauma exposure as PTSD; 9+ symptoms from 5 categories | Duration is 3 days to 1 month post-trauma |
| Adjustment Disorder | Within 3 months of stressor; resolves within 6 months | Emotional/behavioral symptoms disproportionate to stressor; does not meet criteria for another disorder | Subthreshold response; does not require trauma |
Bipolar Disorders
| Disorder | Key Feature | Episode Duration | Critical Distinction |
|---|
| Bipolar I | At least one manic episode | Mania: 7+ days (or hospitalization) | Mania (not just hypomania); may or may not have depressive episodes |
| Bipolar II | Hypomanic + major depressive episodes | Hypomania: 4+ days | Never a full manic episode; hypomania does not cause marked impairment |
| Cyclothymic Disorder | Chronic fluctuating mood | 2+ years (1 year for children) | Hypomanic and depressive symptoms that never meet full episode criteria |
Personality Disorders (Cluster B: Most Tested)
| Disorder | Key Features | Exam Tips |
|---|
| Borderline PD | Unstable relationships, self-image, affect; impulsivity; fear of abandonment; self-harm; chronic emptiness | Most commonly tested PD; associated with DBT treatment |
| Narcissistic PD | Grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy; sense of entitlement | Distinguished from healthy self-esteem by lack of empathy and exploitative behavior |
| Antisocial PD | Disregard for rights of others; deceitfulness, impulsivity, aggression; lack of remorse | Must be 18+; requires evidence of conduct disorder before age 15 |
| Histrionic PD | Excessive emotionality and attention-seeking; theatrical behavior; suggestibility | Distinguished from BPD by absence of self-harm and abandonment fears |
Key Duration Requirements Summary
| Duration | Disorders |
|---|
| 3 days to 1 month | Acute Stress Disorder |
| 2 weeks | Major Depressive Episode |
| 4 days | Hypomanic Episode |
| 7 days | Manic Episode |
| 1 month | PTSD, Panic Disorder |
| 6 months | GAD, Social Anxiety, Specific Phobia, Agoraphobia |
| 1 year | Persistent Depressive Disorder (children), Cyclothymia (children) |
| 2 years | Persistent Depressive Disorder (adults), Cyclothymia (adults) |