AbPsych Q2 Prelims

• psychological assessment

• clinical diagnosis

• presenting problem

• the relationship between assessment and diagnoses

the basic elements in assessment (PCPT)

• formal diagnoses are needed for insurance purposes

• planning for treatment follows from diagnosis

• it is essential for administrative purposes

the relationship between assessment and diagnosis

• situational or pervasive

• duration

• prior attempts to help or treat

• self-defeating or resourceful

• how does problem impact social roles

• does problem match any dsm-5 disorder criteria

identification of presenting problem

• treatment planning

• knowledge of range or diagnostic problems

• insurance payment

classification of presenting problem

• social context

• personality factors

• good assessment includes social history noting:

taking a social or behavioral history

personality factors

• descriptions of long term personality characteristics are included

• how as the person responded to different situations

the social context

• environmental stressors and supports are identified

• conflicting information is integrated, leading to understanding of what may drive the person (what some call a dynamic formulation)

• hypotheses about future behavior are derived

• decisions about treatment are made with consent of the client

• coordination of physical, psychological, and environmental procedures is needed in assessment

ensuring culturally sensitive assessment procedures

• cultural competence issues in both clinical and court-related multicultural assessment are important when dealing with culturally diverse populations

• APA Recommends psychologists consider things like language and differences in cultural situations when looking at test scores

professional orientation

• may determine assessment techniques

• does not limit clinician to one type of assessment

Psychiatrists

biologically oriented practitioners

Psychoanalytically oriented clinicians

may use unstructured assessment methods.

Behaviorally oriented clinicians

determine the functional relationships between environmental events, consequences, and behaviors.

Cognitively oriented clinicians

focus on dysfunctional thoughts.

Humanistically oriented clinicians

may use interview techniques to uncover blocked or distorted personal growth.

Interpersonally oriented clinician

may use behavioral observations to identify problematic relationships.

• reliable

• valid

• standardized

psychological assessments are:

Reliability

a term describing the degree of consistency in a measurement.

Validity

the extent to which a measurement measures what it purports to measure

Standardization

the process by which a psychological test is administered, scored, and interpreted in a standard way.

T score distribution

the distribution of scores

Trust and Rapport Between the Clinician and the Client

• Clients should understand the underlying rationale of assessment

• Assurances of confidentiality

• Motivation of client for being assessed

• Importance of providing feedback to client

• Court-ordered versus voluntary treatment

• general physical examination

• neurological examination

• neuropsychological examination

assessment of physical organism incorporates:

• causal factors

• symptom patterns

(gen physical examination) many psychological problems have physical components either as:

neurological examination

neurological tests aid in determination of

• site of organic brain disorder

• extent of organic brain disorder

neuropsychological examination

• involves use of expanding array of testing devices

• measures cognitive, perceptual, and motor performance

• provides clues to extent and location of brain damage

neurological examination examples

• eeg, cat scan, mri, pet scan, fmri

Electrocencephalogram (EEG)

• assess brain wave patterns in awake and sleeping states, which reveals dysrhythmia.

anatomical brain scans

cat, mri

Computerized axial tomography (CAT scan)

can reveal diseased parts of the brain. Technique involves computer analysis of x-rays.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

allows visualization of the interior of the brain. Images are typically much sharper with the ___, and the ____ is less complicated to administer and does not expose the client to ionizing radiation. Only major problem is that some clients have a claustrophobic reaction.

Positron emission tomography (PET scan)

• a metabolic portrait

• appraises how an organ is functioning rather than simply the anatomical structure like those above. ______ scans work by tracking natural compounds such as glucose as they are metabolized. Unfortunately, the pictures produced are of low-fidelity and the equipment is fairly expensive

functional MRI (fMRI)

• measures changes in local oxygenation of specific areas of brain tissue allowing a “map” of brain activity to be developed.

• This technique may lead to more detailed information of how psychologicalj disorders develop but at this time, there are significant problems with the procedure

• aphasia

aphasia

a disorder in which there is a loss of ability to communicate verbally