The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD 11), which includes the classification of mental, behavioural, and neurodevelopmental disorders, was approved by the World Health Assembly in May 2019. The accompanying reference manual, Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements for ICD-11 Mental, Behavioural, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CDDR; WHO, 2024), was released in May 2024.

This webinar will provide an overview of the ICD-11 development process, which extended over more than a decade and was led by an international, multidisciplinary team under the direction of a psychologist. The presentation will highlight major innovations and revisions of relevance to clinical practice, teaching, and professional training. Particular emphasis will be placed on the ICD-11’s guiding principles, including global applicability, enhanced clinical utility (with attention to cultural variations in symptom expression), and the adoption of lifespan and dimensional approaches to diagnosis. These principles will be illustrated with reference to selected disorders, including Depression, Anxiety, Disorders Specifically Associated with Stress, Personality Disorders, and Neurocognitive Disorders.