PSYC 3140 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Beck Depression Inventory
Document Summary
Assessment: the process of gathering information about people"s symptoms and the possible causes of those symptoms. It is used to determines the appropriate diagnosis for a person"s problem. Diagnosis: a label attached to a set of symptoms that tend to occur together. Applying a psychiatric diagnosis to a person has a number of dangers and problems such as the stigmatizing effects of having a psychiatric diagnosis. Three types of information guide the formation of a diagnosis: history. Clinician would ask about current symptoms (severity and chronicity), how the symptoms are interfering with ability to function. Also important to know family history of disorders: physiological. Criteria for diagnosing most major psychological disorders require the symptom be severe and pervasive enough to interfere with the person"s ability to function in daily life. Information about the pervasiveness and duration of symptoms help formulate a treatment plan.
