Assessment

Question 1

How to you obtain a problem profile?

Answer 1

Listen to the jumble of information the client gives. Separate the different strands and prioritize them. Think Independence Point

Question 2

What is an ARC or functional analysis?

Answer 2

Antecedent: Onset; precipitating events
Response: How often; last time; what happens
Consequence: Offset; what then?

Question 3

How does a clinician use the timelines of multiple ARC analyses to develop a case conceptualization and possibly answer the “why” question?

Answer 3

Lay everything out in chronological order and the why may become obvious. The why might be in the Antecedent, but the Response might also be getting reinforced in the Consequence.

Question 4

Explain and describe the process of triangulating data from multiple sources to guide assessment and case conceptualization.

Answer 4

Assess multiple dimensions from multiple sources with varying reliability. Things reported by multiple sources are trustworthy. Other information may be useful but needs more validation.

Question 5

What is a structured clinical interview?

Answer 5

A Structured Clinical Interview is a series of questions which a clinician will ask in order. This allows for greater inter-observer consistency because no matter who asks, the answers will be the same. It helps manage the chaos from the client.

Question 6

What is an example of structured clinical interview used by ACS?

Answer 6

S-RAT

Question 7

Why is the structured clinical interview the gold standard in clinical psychology/psychiatry?

Answer 7

Structured Clinical Interview reduces the impact of individual interviewer and increases inter observer consistency. Allows other clinicians to trust the assessment.

Question 8

What is a problem profile?

Answer 8

A collection of the distinct domains that are either problem areas or pre-existing issues.

Question 9

What is a symptom cluster?

Answer 9

A group of symptoms that are simultaneously present.

Question 10

What is a syndrome?

Answer 10

A syndrome is when a symptom cluster meets certain criterion for duration, frequency, and intensity.

Question 11

What is an important factor in determining a diagnosis?

Answer 11

Etiology

Question 12

Why is etiology important for diagnosis?

Answer 12

Knowing the etiology is important for differentiating between general medical concerns, toxicological concerns, and various psychiatric conditions.

Question 13

Why is it important to obtain collateral data when trying to rule in or rule out the presence of bipolar disorder?

Answer 13

Clients are not good historians about manic episodes because they aren’t formulating memories during “brain storms.” Collateral are better able to recall events during the clients manic episodes.

Question 14

Describe the continuum between veridical reports of symptoms to malingering.

Answer 14

Denial/obliviouslessness
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       The Truth
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Malingering/Fabrication

Question 15

What influences memory?

Answer 15

Preexisting vulnerabilities and resiliencies and cognitive appraisals.

Question 16

What is the formal definition of malingering?

Answer 16

The conscious and intentional fabrication of symptoms that don’t exist for the purpose of avoiding consequences (eg prison time) or gaining something (eg disability).

Question 17

How is malingering different from symptom exaggeration?

Answer 17

Symptom exaggeration uses actual symptoms to obtain something (such as medications). Malingering is a complete fabrication of symptoms.

Question 18

Why is a symptom cluster more informative than a single symptom?

Answer 18

A single symptom may or may not mean something. A single symptom only has value in generating a hypothesis. A symptom cluster is one step closer to the formulation of a diagnosis.

Question 19

What are the implications of someone who has pain vectors turned inward?

Answer 19

These individuals have a good prognosis for psychotherapy due to high problem recognition, high pain, and exhausting coping efforts.

Question 20

What is an actuarial system?

Answer 20

A decision tree based on risk distributed on a normal curve.

Question 21

What types of questions can actuarial systems be helpful in answering?

Answer 21

Good for making predictions around high base rate phenomenon (things that are normally distributed).

Question 22

How can predictions about low-base rate phenomenon be assessed?

Answer 22

Structured clinical interview and professional judgement

Question 23

How does a normative/nomethetic evaluate a client?

Answer 23

As part of his peer group.

Question 24

How does an idiographic approach evaluate a client?

Answer 24

As an individual on his own.

Question 25

What is meant by the statement that Suicide and homicide are low base rate behaviors?

Answer 25

Not everyone will attempt suicide or homicide, so it cannot be distributed on a normal curve

Question 26

How is suicide and homicide risk assessed?

Answer 26

Structured clinical interview and professional consensus.

Question 27

How do you differentiate between a suicide attempt and NSSI?

Answer 27

Ask the client what she was hoping would happen.

Question 28

In addition to psychiatric symptoms and medical concerns, what is especially important to ask about during assessment in order to aid the differential diagnosis?

Answer 28

Head trauma and traumatic brain injuries

Question 29

What triad is indicative of a closed head injury? (Not Cushings)

Answer 29

Cognitive constriction, impaired executive functioning, and impulsivity

Question 30

Why is the child of a step dad more at risk of sexual abuse than a biological child?

Answer 30

The step child doesn’t have the incest taboo to protect her

Question 31

What is akathesia?

Answer 31

A movement disorder characterized by a feeling of inner restlessness and a compelling need to be in constant motion.