AB PSYCH: CLINICAL ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS

Key Concepts in Assessment

* Reliability
* Validity
* Standardization 

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Assessment Tools

* Clinical Interview
* Mental State Examination
* Physical Examination
* Behavioral Assessment
* Psychological Testing
* Psychophysiological Assessment

Clinical Interview

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* Structured
* Semi-structured
* Unstructured 

Mental State Examination (MSE)

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* Appearance and behavior
* Thought processes
* Mood and affect
* Intellectual functioning
* Sensorium

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Medical conditions are sometimes associated with psychological problem

Physical Examination

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* auditory and visual hallucinations

Psychosis

lighter (anxiety, depression)

Neurosis

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can be a history or hereditary

Predisposing factors

Direct observation to assess formally an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in specific situation or context.

Behavioral Assessment

Often use among individuals who are skilled enough to report their problems or experiences

Behavioral Assessment

ABC's Observation

* Antecedent
* Behavior
* Consequences

what happened before the behavior

Antecedent

the observed actions

Behavior

what happened afterward / reaction

Consequences

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Observing own behavior to find patterns

self-monitoring

Psychological Testing

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* Projective Testing
* Personality inventories
* Intelligence Testing
* Neuropsychological Testing
* Neuroimaging

Neuromaiging

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* CAT / CT scan
* MRI
* PET
* SPECT
* TMRI

Specific functions or brain and nervous system activity

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Psychophysiological Assessment

brain waves

EEG (electroencephalogram)

Clinical Assessment

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1. Receiving / Clarifying Referral Questions
2. Planning Data Collection Procedures
3. Collecting Assessment Data
4. Data Processing & Hypothesis Formation
5. Wring the Report (Clinical Impression)
6. Communicating Assessment Data

Diagnosis Psychological Disorder

* Idiographic Strategy
* Nomothetic Strategy
* Classification
* Nosology
* Nomenclature

determining the uniqueness of an individual from personality, cultural background or circumstances

Idiographic Strategy

determining the general class of problems to which presenting problem belongs

Nomothetic Strategy

constructed groups or categories to assign objects or people based on shared attributes or relations (nomothetic)

Classification

the application of taxonomy system to psychological or medical phenomena

Nosology

naming, describing, classifying

taxonomy system

**Categorical and Dimensional Approaches**

* Classical (pure) categorical approach
* Dimensional Approach
* Prototypical Approach

the names or labels of disorders that make up the nosology

Nomenclature

strict categories (e.g., you either have social anxiety disorder or you don’t)

Classical (pure) categorical approach

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classification among dimensions (e.g., different people have varying amounts of anxiety in social situations)

Dimensional Approach

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combines both classical and dimensional approach

Prototypical Approach

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All psychological diagnostic categories **except** mental retardation and personality disorder **(**e.g., depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia)

Axis I

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**Personality disorders  & mental retardation** (life-long problems) (e.g., paranoid personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, intellectual disabilities) 

Axis II

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**General medical conditions**; acute medical conditions and physical disorder including brain injuries

Axis III

**Psychosocial and environmental factors** contributing to the disorder (e.g., family problems, housing problems, economic problems)

Axis IV

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**Global Assessment of Functioning Scales** (i.e. assessing a person’s mental health and determining how their current behaviors are influencing their psychological, social and occupational functioning)

Axis V