Professional Documents
Culture Documents
II.
Diagnosis is important because it enables the clinician to refer to the knowledge base of a particular
set of problems.
B.
C.
One important question is at what level (e.g., individual or family) should a problem be
conceptualized
D.
2.
3.
The DSM is a categorical classification system, but abnormal behavior can also be
conceptualized as dimensional.
B.
Basic characteristics
a. Disorders are grouped under broad headings (e.g., Anxiety Disorders).
DSM-5 recognizes that cultural norms may influence the experience and
expression of emotional distress.
2.
3.
B.
2.
Test-retest reliabilityrefers to the consistency with which a patient displays the diagnosable
symptoms between assessments
Etiological validityconcerned with factors that contribute to the onset of the disorder
2.
Concurrent validityconcerned with current correlations between the disorder and other
symptoms or behaviors
C.
D.
IV.
3.
Predictive validityconcerned with the course and stability of the disorder over time
4.
2.
3.
4.
The failure to make better use of information regarding the course of disorders over time
5.
6.
Defined as the simultaneous appearance of two or more disorders in the same person
2.
56 percent of those who met criteria for one disorder also meet criteria for at least one other
Disorder.
3.
4.
Collecting and interpreting information that will be used to understand a person and make a
diagnosis.
2.
Primary goals are making predictions, planning interventions, and evaluating interventions
3.
B.
C.
2.
Levels of analysis (biological, psychological, or social) determine the type of assessment used;
assessment can focus on individual or social systems.
3.
Clinicians want to know if they can generalize the samples of behavior obtained during
assessment to natural settings.
Reliability (consistency)
a. Test-retest reliability measures the consistency of an assessment procedure over time.
b. Split-half reliability measures the internal consistency of the items within a test.
2.
Validity (meaningfulness)
a. Addresses question of the meaning of a particular score on a test
b. Measures degree to which a scale accurately predicts future behavior
c. Cultural differences can make assessment procedures that are valid in one group
invalid in others.
V.
Interviews
a. Most frequently used assessment procedure
b. Allows direct gathering of information about clients subjective experience
c. Allows observation of appearance and important nonverbal behaviors
d. Other than when making decisions related to intellectual disability, the use of psychological
Observational procedures
a. Informal observations provide information from the natural environment or
controlled settings.
b. Rating scales allow an observer to make judgments and rate behavior on a scale.
c. Behavioral coding systems or formal observational schedules
1.) Focus on frequency of specific, targeted behavioral events
2.) Can include self-monitoring in which the client observes and records his/her
own behavior
d. Advantages: a more direct source of information; does not rely on self-report
e. Limitations: may be time-consuming and expensive; bias can still influence ratings;
behavior may be altered during observation, and observations do not necessarily
generalize to other situations
3.
1.) 500+ statements rated by the test-taker as true or false for him/herself
2.) Includes validity scales to check whether the person is avoiding frank and
honest responses, being overly defensive, careless, or exaggerating problems
3.) Test interpretation is based on explicit rules derived from empirical research.
4.) Advantages: information concerning the client's test-taking attitude is
obtained; assesses a wide range of problems quickly in an objective manner,
and actuarial scoring provides comparisons with other patients
5.) Limitations: not sensitive to some forms of psychopathology; dependent on
the ability of a client to be able to complete a long and difficult test; data is not
available on all profiles, and profile types are not stable over time, which may
reflect a reliability problem or the tests sensitivity to change
4.
VI.
2.