Assessment and Diagnosis

There is a big book out there known as DSM-V, but at the time that I was studying Abnormal psychology it was still the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders). So, what is assessment? This is the process of gathering information about symptoms that people are suffering, and this is the way gathering information is about many possible problems psychologically and psychiatrically.

Here are a few questions and ideas that we need to find answers to for client and patients. What are the current symptoms currently felt and seen? What recent events in life has affected them good and bad? What is the clients or patients physical condition? Is there any drug abuse? We can check the patients/clients personal family history of any psychological and/or psychiatric disorders. We can also check for their cognitive functioning.

Tools of assessment will provide valid and reliable information for those seeking help. A valid measure is what it intends to measure while reliability is to show what is consistent. There are neuropsychological tests as well as biological tests for research purposes to distinguish between the causes of problems. There are also neuro-impressions from the PET scans and other brain pictures like MRI's that have no radiation or needed injections. There are also intellectual and cognitive tests that show the intellectuals strengths and weaknesses.

There is the Stanford-Binet Basic Abilities Test which measures verbal fluency, spatial organization, and also can identify the 'giftedness' of one for occupational purposes. If MR (mentally retarded) or some other form of brain damage is or maybe present some consideration in testing could be to administer the Wechsler Adult/Children tests, but what are the limitations.

"What is intelligence?" This is an idea that is favored to the middle and upper class educated European American culture and reasoning of and for these tests and being assessed one has to be a 'culture-fair' test' to make sure that the clients and patients are being tested fairly using language that they understand. There are clincial interview that are unstructured that ask open-ended questions that allow for a wide range of exploration, as in the "tell me about yourself?" and the goal is to listen to the family and/or client. One must listen to the verbals (spoken) or the ways of what is said could have various intonations and to observe the nonverbals as in the eye contact, posture and other mannerisms that could be displayed while answering questions that are asked. Even though there is a low reliability in use and results.

In the structured interviews there are a series of questions about the symptoms that are experienced currently or in the past. This is highly standardized and structured for scoring that is concrete. The goal at the end will have enough information to make a diagnosis. For example, the DIS (Diagnostic Interview Schedule) and the DSM says that a structured clinical interview that has reliability will improve the validity is changed you with limited tests.

In semi-structured interviews which is a combination of both approaches you must have to deal with resistance for those who do not want to trust or to be assessed for people will try to put on a good face. In doing assessments there are clinical tests, inventories and questionnaires that must have two components/interests and they must have validity and reliability. There are symptom questionnaires that are used to help clinicians to readily assess symptoms that are experienced and way way is to use the broad range MMPI test or even the Beck's Depression Inventory has four levels and 21 ideas of depression that is very popular to use. One other question one could ask is 'How do you feel during the week?'

To be continued: More on Assessment and Diagnosis

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