Chapter 05

Objectives of Psychodiagnostics

Objectives of Psychodiagnostics

Difference between Psychodiagnostics Assessment and Psychiatric Consultation

Psychodiagnostics Assessment Psychiatric Consultation

Assessment includes appraisal and Consultation is defined as the act of

design around program planning and seeking information; to get or ask advice
evaluation from; to confer with; and to advise
professionally

Assessment is an appointment for a Consultation is an all-inclusive, in- depth

patient who wants to know if they (or a
child) meet the diagnostic criteria for any
abnormal condition. It is the treatment
plan that typically includes medications
and psychotherapeutic interventions
evaluation of an individual's current and
past history, including psychological
aspects of the prior treatment,
precipitating and perpetuating factors,
and psychological aspects of the
presenting condition

Psychodiagnostics Assessment is a A psychiatric consultation uses written,

specialized diagnostic procedure that
identifies and quantifies degrees of
psychopathology
oral and projective instruments to
evaluate a patient's mental processes and
to assess how their thinking and
emotions are likely to impact their
behavior

This enhances diagnostic accuracy as Data collection is mainly by clinical

data collection is based on highly interview which is controlled by
reliable, standardized tests that have been subjective opinion and observations of
validated in clinical trials. the patient's behavior by a psychiatrist
It helps to make pharmacological or It ends up with the most appropriate
psychotherapeutic treatment referral and connects the patient with a
recommendations mental health provider

Application of Psychodiagnostics Testing

• Forensics
• Insurance Settlements
• Employment Environments
• School Settings

Functions of Psychodiagnostics Testing

• Diagnosis and/or evaluation of clients' reason for seeking treatment

• Case conceptualization
• Treatment planning
• Monitoring of client response to treatment
• Change clients' behavior or cognitions through increased self-awareness (e.g., self-
monitoring, behavioral experiments)
• Program evaluation or individual clinician evaluation of effectiveness.

Reason for Psychodiagnostics Testing

• to gather information about persons, systems, environments, or phenomenon (or some

combination of these)
• to enable classification, description, and comprehension or evaluation of current
circumstances
• to predict future behaviors (dangerousness, suicide) or circumstances (maintaining
employment)
The Purpose of Diagnostic Assessment

The purpose of diagnostic assessment is to differentiate between "normal" and "abnormal"

behavior, to differentiate among various "abnormal" constellations of symptoms, and to classify
individuals based on identified abnormalities or "presentation of disease".

In order to conduct such psycho diagnostics, the clinician must have the following steps:

• Signed consent form(s)

• Audio/Video tape of interview session
• Verbatim transcript of audio/video tape
• Case report

Areas to be covered in Diagnostic Interview

• Identifying Information
• Presenting Problem
• Physical Appearance
• History the Present Illness
• Developmental History
• Family History
• School History
• Social History
• Sexual History
• Work History
• Medical History

DSM Diagnosis

DSM has significant merits and has allowed for a certain degree of standardization in the field of
clinical psychology.

The DSM provides a starting point for understanding clients' clinical presentations and for
determining general directions for treatment planning.
Classification System

Axis I Provides information about clinical disorders. Any

mental health conditions, other than personality
disorders or mental retardation, would have been
included here

Axis II Provides information about personality disorders and

mental retardation

Provides information about any medical conditions

that were present which might impact the patient's
Axis III
mental disorder or its management

Used to describe psychosocial and environmental

factors affecting the person
Axis IV

Axis V A rating scale called the Global Assessment of

Functioning; the GAF went from 0 to 100 and
provided a way to summarize in a single number just
how well the person was functioning overall

Difference between Descriptive and Prediction Assessments

Descriptive Assessments
Descriptive assessment is undertaken to
provide a description of the person's
current circumstances, past history, roles,
habits, interests, level of occupational
engagement, performance component
skills and deficits, and desired outcomes.
May be used to identify symptoms and
problems to help aid diagnosis
Descriptive assessment questions focus
on individuals, families, groups of people
or person environment interactions to
learn more about clients cognitive
functioning, psychosocial functioning,
academic achievement, personality,
behavior or specific needs
A descriptive assessment may be
undertaken to gain information about
environmental (physical, social, cultural-
Institutional) barriers and facilitators
may need to be optimized or overcome to
ensure a successful intervention. Data is
used to inform the development of aims
and goals and negotiate outcomes and
lead to intervention planning
Standardized descriptive tests should Standardized predictive tests should have
have adequate content, construct, and established predictive validity
face validity. If they are to be
administered by more than one therapist,
a high level of inter-rater reliability is
also important
Prediction Assessments
Predictive assessment is undertaken
when therapists need to make predictions
about a person's future function
assessment or behavior
Predictive assessment questions focus on
gathering information that may help
make predictions about the future
behavior of the person especially
predictions of suicide risk,
dangerousness etc.
In psychosocial practice areas, therapists
may undertake predictive assessment for
a number of reasons, including
prediction of likely function when
discharged home as part of a pre-
discharge assessment (e.g. level of
independence, ability to safely use
appliances) and risk assessment (e.g., of
harm to self or others, abuse, wandering,
falls)
Descriptive assessment may be The therapist may use the results of a
undertaken on one occasion or over a predictive assessment undertaken in one
period of time until sufficient environment to predict likely function in
information has been obtained to inform another environment.
clinical decision making

Specific Types of Assessments

• What are the goals of assessment?

• When relative to other life events, will the assessment take place?
• Who requests the evaluation or who refers clients for specific assessment?
• Who is (are) the person(s) to be evaluated?
• Where will the assessment be conducted?
• Why is the assessment necessary?
• How will the information be used?

✓ Cognitive Assessment
✓ Personality Assessment
✓ Behavioral Assessment