Chapter 3 Flashcards
Define a clinical assessment
a. Systematic evaluation and measurement of psychological, biological and social factors in an individual that could be presenting a psychological disorder
Define diagnosis
a. Process of determining whether or not an individual meets all the criteria of a psychological disorder, based on the problems they have
What are the three concepts that determine the strength of the assessment
- Reliability
- Validity
- Standardization
Define reliability
- Presenting the same symptoms to different assessors should result in the same diagnosis
Define inter-rater reliability
a. Carefully crafting assessment criteria so raters can get the same result
Define test-retest reliabilty
a. The same test gets the same result if taken again
Define validity
A test will actually measure what it is designed to measure
Define concurrent/ descriptive validity
a. A first measure/test gets the same result as a similar, respected test
Define predictive validity
How well your assessment predicts the future
Define standardization
- A technique must have determined standards and norms that make its use consistent
Define a clinical interview
a. Systemic observation of subjects behaviour
b. Observations are organized in such a way as to give sufficient info to make a diagnosis
c. Five categories are covered
What are the five categories covered in a clinical interview?
- appearance and behaviour
- Thought processes
- Mood and affect
- Intellectual functioning
- Sensorium
In context of a clinical interview, define Appearance and Behavior
- Note of overt behaviours, such as dress, appearance, and posture
In context of a clinical interview, define thought processes
- The complexity and speed of talking
- The content of thoughts
- Also includes presence of delusions and hallucinations
In context of a clinical interview, define Mood and Afffect
- Predominant feeling state of the individual
2. Feelings associated with subjects speech
In context of a clinical interview, define intellectual functioning
- Generalized appraisal of subjects intelligence
2. Use/absence of complex vocabulary
In context of a clinical interview, define sensorium
- General awareness of surroundings in terms of (1) person, (2) time, and (3) place “oriented time three”
In what case can a therapist break confidentiality with a patient?
the therapist judges that the patient is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others
Define a semi-structured clinical interview
a. Follows a “structured interview” type where certain questions are asked that have been designed to elicit certain information
b. However, the clinician may depart from the schematic if they deem it necessary to ask further questions that may yield pertinent info
What is the disadvantage of a semi-structured clinical interview?
i. Avoids spontaneity that can helpful and natural when talking about a problem
Why would a physical exam be prescribed for a patient?
a. Recommended if it has been over a year since the last one
b. Some psychological problems may be due to a physical dysfunction
What are two types of semi-structured interviews?
i. Anxiety and related disorders interview for DSM-5
ii. Structured and clinical interview for DSM-5
What are the two scales that obsessions are rated on?
Persistence distress
1. How often it occurs and how much stress it causes
Resistance
1. How difficult it is to get rid of the obsession
Define behaviour rating scales
- A more formal and structured way to observe behaviour
