Mental Health Assessments : Essential Tools For Human Services Professionals

The purpose of this paper is to critique a random mental health intake form found on the internet. For reference purposes, I have attached the mental health intake form at the end of this paper. The form asks basic questions but not all the necessary questions to accurately determine what the client’s presenting problems are because it lacks detailed household information, detailed employment information, or detailed school history questions. In addition, there no questions pertaining to interactions in the community or local area. In my humble opinion the form does not have enough relevant detailed questions. For example, there are no questions about the different types of addictions. The form does ask basic questions about education level,

The strengths when working with clients on a medical model perspective is that the use of the DSM provides a common language to use in the medical community. The DSM provides reliability and structural guideline to each mental disorder. The structural guidelines in the DSM provide an organized list of criteria and specifiers to help determine the severity of the mental disorder. When diagnosing a client, there are many similar signs and symptoms to each mental disorder; thus, the DSM provides the clinician information about differential diagnosis, prevalence, possible co-morbidity, age of onset, and progressive development of symptoms. Hence, focusing on the medical model and using the DSM can be beneficial to both the client and the clinician providing treatment.

The mental health intake form appears to be designed to take a multidimensional approach to the overall treatment of the client. The section concerning the client’s presenting problems is brief with little space for answering the question. The intake form contains one question regarding which problems or issues the client is seeking help for and allows space for three short responses. The form does however, contain a checkbox list of symptoms allowing the client easily point out which behaviors are currently present. Additionally, the form contains a brief section for a suicide risk assessment that utilizes clear and concise language.

Being able to form a diagnosis properly for a client is a process that is wide-ranging and broad. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) supports recommendations and standards for identifying a diagnosis for a client. The procedure of diagnosing is more than skimming for symptoms in the DSM; one must assess, interview and identify issues, as well as refer to the DSM for a diagnosis.

According to Smarr (2003), the instrument was validated using college students, adult and adolescent psychiatric outpatients (Smarr, 2003). Today, the BDI-II is widely used for those patients as well as normal populations. According to Wang & Gorenstein (2013), the BDI-II can be easily adapted in most clinical settings for detecting major depression and recommending a suitable intervention (Wang & Gorenstein, 2013). Thus, in health care settings the BDI-II has been BDI-II has been expanding in practice in the pathologically ill to assess depressive states that occur at high prevalence (Wang & Gorenstein, 2013).

Fourteen women in the program participated in an activity that assess their preparedness for leaving treatment. The women were given a pretest and post-test to assess their anxiety level on Monday, November 24, 2017. This assessment lasted approximately 50 minutes. Before the assessment started, the researcher had the participants fill out some demographic questions, sign consent form, and completed the pretest GAD -7. The assessment began with some quick psycho –education on the topic of meditation and discussion among the group about the topic of meditation.

Likewise, the intake/clinical interview was focused toward the client’s imminent level of safety, psychological stability, and the client level of readiness regarding future assessment and treatment (Briere and Scoot, 2013). More so, this clinician followed the hierarchy of assessment in assessing this client (“is there risk of imminent death, is the client in a state of

The following essay is a case study of a client named John who is suffering from major depression and was sent to see me for treatment by his concerned wife. I will provide brief background information about John then further discuss interventions and strategies I believe can be applied in each session with my client in order to make John's life more manageable. In the essay, I will be writing as the therapist, and the sessions are based on a ten week period.

Case conceptualization explains the nature of a client’s problem and how they develop such problem ( Hersen, & Porzelius, p.3, 2002) In counseling, assessment is viewed as a systematic gathering of information to address a client’s presenting concerns effectively. The assessment practice provides diagnostic formulation and counseling plans, and aids to identify assets that could help the client cope better with concern that they are current. Assessment is present as a guide for treatment and support in the “evaluation process. Although many methods can be employed to promote a thorough assessment, no one method should be used by itself” (Erford, 2010, p.269-270). Eventually, it is the counselor's job to gain adequate

The type of information needed would be gather from multiple sources. The helpee would be interviewed using the semistructured interview. During the semistructured interview, I’ll be able to observe the helpee actions, look, and interest. In addition, the observation would allow notes taking considering the helpee nonverbal behavior. Also during the semistructrued interview, I’ll be able to take notes concerning what the helpee interest is. The collateral resources will be collected from the helpee, partner, spouse, family members, physicians, and other professionals. Furthermore, the information obtained from other mental health professional would be used to gather previous psychological reports, treatment plans. The helpee would be given

Recommendations: (Identify the problem to be addressed, type of counseling [individual, family, group] frequency [50 minutes, once per week], and any recommendations for other services (i.e., couples therapy, medication evaluation).

There were One hundred and forty-seven research participants who were clients. The method of research the researchers used was quantitative. The participants were able to identify themselves as having psychological problems received four treatment sessions. Pre- to post-treatment changes in psychological and physical functioning was assessed by self-completed questionnaires, which included visual analogue

After considering each of the validity scales, it is difficult to determine if the profile is valid. There are two possible interpretations of the validity scales. One possibility is that the client is not experiencing distress, and is experiencing an unusual degree of satisfaction and enjoyment with his life and relationships with others. The hypothesis that the client is mentally healthy is challenged by the VRIN, K, and S scores, which suggest that the client has engaged in self-favorable reporting. The other possibility is that the client is, in fact, experiencing distress and has engaged in self-favorable reporting. If the client is faking-good, then he has done so in such a manner that successfully hides the cause of

Raw data obtained over 8 weeks from The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (Overall & Gorham, 1988) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Assertive Community Treatment model in the decrease of psychiatric symptoms. Data collection started at the intake session where the intern was present and able to obtain information regarding the suitability of the client for a single subject design. No BPRS data was obtained at the intake. BPRS data collection started two days following intake, at the client’s psychiatric evaluation. The purpose and nature of the study was explained to the client. The client provided verbal consent which was deemed suitable by the intern supervisor to be adequate as observations of client behavior are within the scope of a typical wellness check.

The Depression anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21) is a 21-item quantitative measure of distress that has 3 scales- anxiety, stress and depression, each of which has 7-items (Henry & Crawford, 2005). The DASS-21 is a shorter version of the full 42-item questionnaire (DASS) both of which are typically used to discriminate between the three related states of depression, anxiety and stress (Antony, Bieling, Cox, Enns, & Swinson, 1998). Distinguishing between these states has proven difficult, particularly between anxiety and depression (Clark & Watson, 1991a) . Many of the major scales predominantly measure the common factor of negative affectivity (Watson & Clark, 1984). While the full version DASS is used in both clinical and research settings, the DASS-21 is typically used for research purposes (Lovibond, 2013). As such this paper will evaluate the empirical evidence for the validity and reliability of the DASS-21 for research purposes.