Chapter 3: Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards
What are the 3 goals of clinical assessment?
(how, why)
How and why a person is behaving abnormally, how that person can be helped, evaluation of treatment process
Focus is idiographic - on an individual person
What 3 concepts determine the value of assessments?
Reliability (consistent measurement), validity (measures what it’s supposed to), and standardization (application of certain standards to ensure consistency across measurements)
What is the purpose of a clinical interview?
(hint - gathering information on…)
Gathers info on current and past behaviour, attitudes, emotions + detailed history of one’s life and the presenting problem (onset)
What is the ‘mental status exam’?
(5 components; what you assess when looking for psychological disorders)
Systematic observation of an individual’s behaviour (appearance, behaviour, thought process/attitudes, mood, intellectual functioning, sensorium.)
sensorium = awareness of surroundings
What does behavioural assessment refer to?
ABC’s of behaviour
targeting identifed and observed behaviours;
ancedents, behaviours, concequences
What’s the difference between naturalistic observation and analog observation?
Naturalistc = natural setting, analog = artficial setting
What is informal observation?
Observation subject to the observer’s interpretation, relies on memory to take notes later
What is formal observation?
Identifying specific behaviours (that are observable and measurable) when they occur to find a behavioural pattern
proceed to then design treatment based on patterns
What does reactivity refer to?
The awareness that you are being observed
May increase desired behaviours or decrease undesired ones
What do psychological tests aim to measure?
(3 components)
Cognition, emotion, and behaviour
What are the 3 types of psychological tests?
Projective, objective (personality), and intelligence
What is a projection test?
A projection test is a type of personality test designed for patients to project internal feelings/thougts onto ambiguous stimuli
Has questionable validity and reliability
What are personality inventories?
i.e., ‘objective tests’
Psychological tests that aim to measure and evaluate individual traits
may be too standardized and biased depending on design
What are two popular forms of intelligence testing?
Standford-Binet test (for children), Wechsler scales
Verbal/performance scales
May be culturally biased
Diagnosis is to prognosis…
…as identification is to prediction
Prognosis is to etiology…
…as outcome is to cause
What is taxonomy?
(hint - science)
Classification in a scientific context
What are the three approaches to classifying disorders?
Classical-categorical approach, dimensional approach, prototypical approach
What is the classic categorical approach to diagosis/classification?
Approach that assumes each disorder is unique, and only one set of criteria is needed
i.e., to recieve a diagnosis, you must meet all criteria
What is the dimensional approach to diagnosis/classification?
hint - multiple dimensions
Spectrum based; utilizes statistics (bellcurve) and dimensions (i.e., anxiety, mood variation, personality traits, etc.)
What is the prototypical approach to diagnosis/classification?
The most ‘typical’ display of symptoms in which other behaviours are compared to- the prototype behaviour
What is nosology?
The study/science of classifying disorders/diseases
What does etiology refer to?
Causes/origins of a disease/disorder.
What did the DSM-III and DSM-III-R do differently from the 2nd one?
2 major changes
Atheoretical approach to diagnosis (etiology, psychoanalytics, etc.), detailed criteria (i.e., multi-axial appraoch)
What does the ‘multi-axial’ format refer to?
Apporach that emphasizes consideration on the whole individual rather than a focus on the disorder
What are the 5 axes of the multi-axial format?
- clinical disorders 2. personality disorders 3. general medical disorders 4. psychosocial/environmental factors 5. global assessment of functioning
Whatare the axes for the non-axial system?
3 categories
(seperate notations axes for 4 and 5)
- clinical disorders 2. personality disorders 3. general medical disorders
Which DSM versions integrated a section for cultural influences in diagnosis?
DSM-IV, DSM-V
What is the main issue/criticism with the DSM-V?
Comorbidity; creates blurred edges between disorders
