Assessment Skills

Question 1

What is the cultural formulation interview according to the DSM-5?

Answer 1

Cultural definition of the problem
Cultural perceptions of cause, context and support
Cultural factors affecting self-coping and past help seeking
Cultural factors affecting current help seeking

Question 2

What is a clinical psychologist?

Answer 2

• diagnosing clinical disorders and mental health issues
• assessing risk/severity of symptoms
• measuring efficacy of treatment interventions

Question 3

What is neuropsychology?

Answer 3

• Assessment of behavioral and functional changes associated with neurological illness (dementia) or injury (stroke)
• Measuring efficacy of treatment interventions
• Measuring specific cognitive functions

Question 4

How is psychology used in an organisational setting?

Answer 4

• Assessing suitability for a particular role – aptitude tests (eg. Army)
• Measuring performance

Question 5

How is psychology used in an educational setting?

Answer 5

• Assessing learning abilities (eg. Learning disorders)
• Observing and managing classroom behavior
• Measuring developmental stages

Question 6

How is psychology used in a health setting?

Answer 6

• Assessment of motivation/ability to change health related behaviours (eg, giving up smoking)
• Chronic pain management
• Pre-surgery (eg. Plastic surgery – is there a body image disorder?)

Question 7

How is psychology used in the forensic setting?

Answer 7

• Assessing risk
• Behavioural issues
• Impact reports

Question 8

What non-verbal interviewing signs important to consider?

Answer 8

• bodily behaviour
• eye behaviour
• emotional tone
• physiological responses (blushing, shaking)
• general appearance

Question 9

What does SOLER stand for?

Answer 9

S - squarely face the client 
O - open posture 
L - lean towards the other person (sometimes) 
E - eye contact 
R - relax into these behaviours

Question 10

What is the (7 step) process of clinical treatment?

Answer 10

Initial assessment
Case formulation
Treatment planning
Implement plan 
Monitor progress
Prepare for closure
Closure.

Question 11

what is initial assessment?

Answer 11

Gather relevant information.

Begin with least threatening topics and work way up

Question 12

What is case formulation?

Answer 12

Make initial diagnosis, think about what factors might be contributing to the current concerns

Question 13

What is involved in treatment planning?

Answer 13

Develop an evidence based treatment plan that is concrete, with specific goals, and clear steps describing how to reach these goals after diagnosis is made

Question 14

How do you implement the plan?

Answer 14

Talking through it with the client to initiate

Question 15

Why is monitoring progress important?

Answer 15

This helps both you and the client to be able to look back and see how things have improved (or not)

Question 16

What does it mean to prepare for closure?

Answer 16

• What might happen when therapy ends? How might we reduce the risk of relapse?
• What might go wrong? How can we reduce the risk?
• Remind that can use techniques that have been taught
• Reassure that sometimes people have ups and downs and its okay
• Option to return

Question 17

What does closure include?

Answer 17

Provide advice on how to ensure continued wellbeing