PSYASS - CHAP 4

Assessment interview

Most important means of data collection in a psychological evaluation as it provides valuable information that cannot be gathered from other tools.

Assessment interview

From this that the client’s view and understanding of their current situation become evident and where their perspective is lacking.

Assessment interview

Basic way to establish rapport with the client which is very important in any assessment procedure.

• Assess the client’s strengths

• Level of adjustment

• Nature and history of the problem

• Diagnosis

• Relevant personal and family history

Goals of the interview (5)

Comfortable

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Arrange a __________, private setting.

Purpose of the interview

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Introduce yourself, greet the client by name, and tell the _________________________.

Rapport

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Establish __________ by showing personal qualities like empathy and sensitivity.

Not be accurate

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Do not make judgments but the assessor needs to remember that self-reported information provided by the client may ____________________.

Non-verbal behavior, posture, mannerism

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Observe the client’s _______________, _______________, and _______________.

Excessive

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Avoid _______________ note-taking.

Active

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Keep the interview __________ but do not argue or get angry.

Intelligence

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Use language consistent with the client’s level of _______________.

15-90

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

The length of the interview should be __________ minutes depending on the client's status

Open-ended questions

ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Use ____________________ and avoid suggesting answers.

Behavioral observation

An important tool of especially for those clients who cannot express themselves well.

• Clothing

• Grooming and hygiene

• Posture

• Gait

• Motor movements

• Speech

• Facial expressions

• Eye contact

• Level of attention/alertness/arousal

• Need for repetition

Important Behavioral Observations (10)

Clinical judgement

Special instance of perception in which the practitioner attempts to use whatever sources are available to create accurate descriptions of the client.

Clinical judgement

Your professional guess/verdict/decision

• Rapport

• First impression (Primacy effect)

• Cultural bias

• Lack of understanding of base rate

• Lack of feedback

• Confirmatory bias

Factors affecting Clinical Judgment (6)

Semi-structured

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Use comprehensive, structure or ____________________ approaches to interviewing.

Evidence

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Consider the data that supports the hypothesis but consider or list __________ that does not support the hypothesis.

DSM-5

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Diagnoses should be based on careful attention to the specific criteria contained in the __________.

Memory, notes

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Avoid relying on __________ and refer to careful ___________ as much as possible.

Base rates

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Understand _______________ in making predictions.

Feedbacks

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

_______________ regarding accuracy and usefulness of their judgments.

Theoretical, empirical

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Learn as much as possible the _______________ and _______________ material relevant to the person or group being assessed.

Clinical judgement

IMPROVING CLINICAL JUDGMENT

Be familiar with literature on ____________________ to update knowledge on past and emerging trends.