PSYC 3390 Chapter 4: Chapter 4.docx

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3390
• Professor: Mary Manson- Hennig

Document Summary

First a clinician must identify the presenting problem, or major symptoms or behaviours. An adequate assessment includes much more than the diagnostic label. For example, it should include an objective description of the persons behaviour. Assessment should include a description of any relevant long-term personality characteristics. It is also important to assess the social context in which the individual operates. The diverse and often conflicting bits of info about the individuals personality traits, behaviour patterns, environmental demands and so on, must then be integrated into a consistent and meaningful picture. Some clinicians refer to this picture as dynamic formulation, because it not only describes the current situation but also includes hypotheses about what is driving the person to behave in maladaptive ways. Test results are only released to third party if release form is signed. When patients are given appropriate feedback on test results they begin to improve- just from gaining a perspective on their problems from the testing.