The editors have provided a sufficiently detailed overview so that the book can serve as a primary source for psychiatry candidates. They have maintained a balance between succinctness and comprehensiveness while providing the proper emphasis on critical topics for study. The contents are arranged by topic to conform to coverage in the Examination. The first eleven chapters review basic sciences for psychiatric practice—functional neuropathology, genetics, immunology, and more—as well as such subjects as psychological assessment, cultural psychiatry, and legal issues. Subsequent chapters address the entire gamut of clinical syndromes along categories consistent with DSM-IV-TR classification, from cognitive disorders to anxiety to personality disorders, accompanied by chapters on the psychiatric interview, diagnostics, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and pain disorders. Among the guide's practical features:
- Coverage of suicide, violence, women's mental health, and ethics is provided in separate chapters, since these topics bridge many syndromes
- A single chapter on psychopharmacology addresses drug therapy applicable to the disorders covered in the syndrome chapters
- Quick-reference tables summarize diagnostic criteria for specific psychiatric disorders.
- Multiple-choice questions—derived from the APPI Study Guide to Clinical Psychiatry and Study Guide to Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences- appear at the end of each chapter, with annotated answers provided at the back of the book