Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder
DEFINITION
- Rare childhood disorder of social functioning marked by culturally inappropriate, overly familiar behavior toward unfamiliar adults. Typically, it occurs in a child who has experienced profound neglect (e.g., institutional upbringing, frequent foster care changes)
- Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) is classified under the Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5)[1]. This is a new diagnosis in DSM-5, previously considered a subtype of reactive attachment disorder.
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Last updated: August 22, 2025
Citation
Gary, Joseph, et al. "Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder." Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787065/2.0/Disinhibited_Social_Engagement_Disorder.
Gary J, Halls A, Perry-Parrish C. Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787065/2.0/Disinhibited_Social_Engagement_Disorder. Accessed October 8, 2025.
Gary, J., Halls, A., & Perry-Parrish, C. (2025). Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder. In Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787065/2.0/Disinhibited_Social_Engagement_Disorder
Gary J, Halls A, Perry-Parrish C. Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 October 08]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787065/2.0/Disinhibited_Social_Engagement_Disorder.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder
ID - 787065
A1 - Gary,Joseph,M.D.
AU - Halls,Andrew,M.D.
AU - Perry-Parrish,Carisa,Ph.D.
Y1 - 2025/08/22/
BT - Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
UR - https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787065/2.0/Disinhibited_Social_Engagement_Disorder
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Johns Hopkins Guides
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -