Clinical Errors and Biases

Question 1

Primacy bias

Answer 1

-Primacy availability bias could be the first information presented by a person
-When the most readily available information is received, which is usually the information the client first presents, but might not be the most important detail

Question 2

Recency bias

Answer 2

-Recency availability bias could be the most recent/last information presented by the person
-The assessor uses recently pulled data based on the last bit of information presented

Question 3

Hindsight bias

Answer 3

-When an assessor overestimates the probability of a particular diagnosis when the diagnosis is already known
-Typically seeks out confirmatory information to confirm that diagnosis

Question 4

Regret bias

Answer 4

-Overestimation of the base rate of potential diagnosis that has a possibly severe outcome because of anticipated regret should the evaluator miss the diagnosis
-The assessor typically assumes the worst case scenario and overlooking useful info to avoid a negative outcome, but erring on the side of cautious can cause an overcorrection

Question 5

Confirmation bias

Answer 5

-General tendency to give greater attention to confirmatory evidence and/or actively seek confirmatory evidence while undervaluing disconfirming evidence and/or activity seeking to disconfirm a hypothesis
-Assessor will favor information to confirm a belief and have a specific orientation and overlook other useful information

Question 6

Diagnostic bias

Answer 6

-When a diagnosis of some kind is always seen
-Assessor over-pathologizing common symptoms can sometimes leads to an overdiagosis
-Ex ADHD with males