25 Questions
What is the primary purpose of clinical assessment in mental health settings?
To diagnose a mental disorder
What is a key function of clinical assessment?
Diagnosing mental disorders
What is typically determined through clinical assessment?
A client's diagnosis and treatment plan
What is often used in clinical assessment to help determine an individual's diagnosis?
Interviews
What is the role of the counselor in clinical assessment?
To use clinical judgment to form an opinion about a client's diagnosis
What are the traditional settings in which clinical assessment is employed?
Mental health settings
What is the primary purpose of the initial client interview in clinical assessment?
To gather data or information about an individual
What is a characteristic of a semistructured interview?
A predetermined set of questions that allows for some flexibility and probing
What is a criticism of the DSM-5?
It emphasizes pathological symptoms and has a strong medical orientation
What is the purpose of a structured interview in clinical assessment?
To determine whether or not a person meets the criteria for a particular mental disorder
What is a characteristic of a structured interview?
A fixed set of questions that must be asked in a specific order
What is the purpose of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)?
To help determine DSM-5 diagnoses
Which instrument is used to detect and diagnose Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS)
What is the typical format of the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS)?
17 items rated on a 4-point scale
What is the primary purpose of using unstructured interviews in suicide risk assessment?
To assess suicide risk in several key areas
What should professionals do when clients use euphemisms that hint at suicide plans?
Ask the client in a direct manner about plans to commit suicide
What is the ranking of suicide as a cause of death in the United States?
Eleventh leading cause of death
What is the age range in which suicide is the second leading cause of death?
15-24 years
What is the name of the instrument that helps identify individuals who have a high probability of having a substance-dependence disorder?
Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-3 (SASSI-3)
What is the primary purpose of the mental status exam (MSE) in clinical assessment?
To provide a broad description of a client's mental state
Which of the following instruments is used to measure psychological symptom patterns in individuals aged 13 years and older?
SCL-90-R
What is the scope of the background information typically assessed in unstructured interviews?
Several general domains, including the presenting problem, family background, social and academic history, medical history, and substance use history
What is the primary difference between unstructured interviews and semistructured interviews?
The standardization of questioning and recording of responses
How long does it typically take to complete the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)?
5-10 minutes
What is the primary focus of the inventories and checklists used in clinical assessment?
Clinical problems or psychological symptoms
Study Notes
Clinical Assessment
- Clinical assessment involves applying assessment procedures to diagnose a mental disorder, develop a plan of intervention, monitor progress in counseling, and evaluate counseling outcome.
Purpose of Clinical Assessment
- Diagnosing mental disorders
- Developing a plan of intervention
- Monitoring a client’s progress in counseling
- Evaluating counseling outcomes
Importance of Clinical Assessment
- Helps answer questions like “Does this client have a mental disorder?” and “If so, what is the diagnosis?”
- Involves determining the information needed to answer the referral question, organizing and integrating the data, and using clinical judgment to form an opinion about a client’s diagnosis
Interviews in Clinical Assessment
- Interviews are widely used in clinical assessment to help determine an individual’s diagnosis
- Techniques include unstructured, semistructured, and structured interviews
- Examples of structured interviews include the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), and the Substance Use Disorders Diagnostic Schedule (SUDDS-5)
- Semistructured interviews include the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID), Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS), and Semi-structured Clinical Interview for Children and Adolescents (SCICA)
- Unstructured interviews are the most frequently used type of interview in clinical assessment, with no standardization of questioning or recording of responses
Mental Status Exam (MSE)
- A structured procedure for observing and describing a client’s mental state
- Includes appearance, speech, actions, mood, perception, and thoughts
- Provides a broad description of a client’s mental state, which aids counselors in making an accurate diagnosis
Formal Instruments in Clinical Assessment
- Inventories and checklists, which detect clinical problems or psychological symptoms
- Examples include the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), the Eating Disorder Inventory–3 (EDI-3), the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-3)
Criticisms of the DSM-5
- Emphasizes pathological symptoms
- Managed care organizations tend to use categories to deny authorization of client treatment for normal conflicts or for longer-term care
- Has a strong medical orientation that runs counter to the wellness philosophy that counselors espouse
This quiz assesses your understanding of clinical assessment in counseling, including diagnosis, intervention, and progress monitoring. Learn about the procedures and importance of clinical assessment in mental health settings.
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