Mental Health Assessment

Question 1

What are the assessment methods?

Answer 1

Subjective:

• Diaries
• Questionnaires
• Interview

Objective:

• Observation
• Interview

Question 2

What Factors could effect someones mental state?

Answer 2

Internal:

• Thoughts
• Feelings

External:

• Family
• Friends
• Physical health
• Environment
• Employment
• Living situation
• Alcohol and drug use
• Health supports

Question 3

What are some influences on assessment?

Answer 3

• Biomedical approach
• Categorization of symptoms
• Interviewer bias
• Stigma and discrimination
• Transference and countertransference
• Assumptions

Question 4

What types of assessments are there?

Answer 4

• Mental Status Examination
• Risk Assessment
• Alcohol and Drug Assessment
• Functional enquiry
• Psychosocial factors
• Physical Health

Question 5

Psychoscoical factors can include?

Answer 5

• Family/ whanau support
• Community services
• Sexuality
• Cultural identifications
• Developmental level
• Spiritual / wairua identifications

Question 6

What are some influences affecting assessment?

Answer 6

Medical Focus

• Categorising mental illness
• ‘One size fits all’
• Personal Bias
• Stigma and Discrimination
• Transference and counter-transference
• Assumptions

Question 7

What does a Mental State Examination (MSE) assess?

Answer 7

• Appearance
• Behaviour
• Emotion, (Affect, Mood)
• Thought Form
• Thought Content
• Perception
• Cognition/ Orientation
• Insight and Judgement

Question 8

What does a Risk Assessment assess?

Answer 8

Static Risk Factors

Dynamic Risk Factors

Future Risk Factors: An assessment of potential risk of harm to self and/or others

Consideration of:
History - Predisposing
External factors (environment)

Internal factors (personality, mental state)

Can be positive or negative

Continually assessed

Question 9

What are the types of risks?

Answer 9

-Violence; verbal, physical, sexual
-Suicide and self-harming behaviours
-Other risks; child & family safety,
alcohol and other drugs
-Vulnerability
-Absconding
-Falls
-Challenging behaviours
-Others

Question 10

What does Functional Enquiry assess?

Answer 10

• Sleep
• Mood
• Appetite
• Activity /energy
• Anxiety
• Enjoyment
• Motivation
• Self care

Question 11

What does a Psychosocial and Physical Assessment assess?

Answer 11

• Whanau/Family and community support
• Sexuality
• Wairau/Cultural and Spiritual
• Developmental
• Include prescribed and OTC medications
• Consider risk factors for developing conditions