Focus: The importance of diagnosis
Vol. 37 No. 1 (2026)
The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM-3): restoring subjectivity to the centre of diagnostic formulation
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: 30 April 2026
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This article outlines the main innovations introduced in the new edition of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM-3), with a specific focus on its diagnostic approach in adulthood. Following an overview of the manual’s history, structure, and main contents, we describe the key principles guiding the assessment of levels of personality organization and personality styles or disorders (P Axis), with a specific focus on masochistic (self-defeating) personalities. We then examine the assessment of the profile of mental functioning (M Axis), paying particular attention to the domains of bodily experiences and representations – newly included in this edition – and to the capacity to explore one’s inner life. Next, we discuss symptomatic patterns and the subjective experience of symptoms (S Axis), using the updated section on eating and feeding disorders as an illustrative example of the innovations introduced. Finally, we address the subjective experience of collectively relevant phenomena, such as climate change, wars, and pandemics, as presented in the new section devoted to “psychological experiences that may require clinical attention”.
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The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM-3): restoring subjectivity to the centre of diagnostic formulation. (2026). Ricerca Psicoanalitica, 37(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/rp.2026.1153
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