In conclusion, the present study in a large sample of substance abuse patients supports combining abuse and dependence criteria into one disorder in DSM-5 and eliminating legal problems. Empirical support for adding craving from this study is mixed. Many clinicians may welcome the addition of craving to the DSM-5 SUD criteria, an important consideration, but more research is needed to ensure that craving as a criterion is not simply redundant with the other criteria. To accomplish this, new datasets will need to be gathered that include craving as well as the other DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.
