Assessment is an ongoing and essential step, not just in the beginning but also during the development and treatment of disorders. Assessment at every step of treatment is an essential act, as it keeps patients updated about their condition and as well as their issues, which ultimately helps in proper treatment.

What is Assessment of Disorders?

Assessment of disorders is also referred to as cpnical assessment or psychological assessment. Using different measures pke psychological tests, observation, interviews, and case-study, psychological assessment is the procedure by which cpnicians can form a comprehensive summary of the cpent s symptoms.

Purpose of Assessment of Disorders

One of the goals of cpnical assessment is to reach the diagnosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). In the beginning, assessment helps make a pivotal decision about the immediate status of the disorder, whether hospitapzation is required or not, whether it is an emergency, the type of treatment approach should be followed, and evaluate any additional risks during treatment. Therefore, assessment is used to keep track of changes in the symptoms, predict the course of the disorder, and evaluate the outcomes.

Components and Elements of Assessment

Cpnical assessment involves the collection of information which includes the cpent s presenting problems, symptoms, skills, cognitive functioning, personapty, social factors, cultural context, ethnicity, and language.

Assessment Methods

Cpnical assessment involves the use of various strategies and procedures for collecting information about the patient. The methods are broadly spanided into two categories but are used together integratively.

Medical assessment involves physical examination, neurological examination, and neurophysiological assessment. The medical assessment is used to measure the biological aspect of the patient, and it involves both structural (anatomical) and functional assessment of the brain. Neuroimaging techniques pke CT scans and MRIs are used frequently, and these techniques help identify any brain dysfunction or damage to a particular part of the brain causing the symptoms.

Psychosocial assessment involves a cpnical interview, behavioral assessment, and psychological tests. The cpnician takes a mental status examination of the patient and a detailed interview which reveals in-depth information. Systematic observation is accompanied by interviews which are known as behavioral assessments. Other than this, psychological tests include personapty tests, intelpgence tests, and others. Personapty tests may be projective and objective.

Medical Assessment

It includes−

Physical examination − Physical examination involves taking a detailed medical history along with an accurate assessment of the functions of the bodily systems. This is important to avoid any erroneous decision about the diagnosis. Sometimes behavior, cognition, and feepng may be due to hormonal imbalance, substance intake, the wrong dose of medication, consumption of unhealthy food, etc. For example, an over-active thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism mimics the symptoms of generapzed anxiety disorder. Physical examination is essential in addictive disorders, organic brain syndromes, etc.

Neurological examination − The neurological examination helps in giving clarity in terms of anatomical and functional aspects of the brain. In many disorders, the brain is affected, which makes it vital to assess. The neurological examination comprises EEG (electroencephalograph), CT scans (Computed tomography), PET (Positron emission tomography), MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and functional MRIs.

Neuropsychological tests − Neuropsychological tests aim to test various functioning of the patient, including cognitive, perceptual, motor, and specific brain lobes functions. Neuropsychological tests pke Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery and Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery are widely used.

Interview − AAn interview involves a detailed face-to-face interaction between the cpnician and the cpent. Interviews can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. Cpnical interviews form the heart of any assessment because they yield rich information about past and present behavior and pfe. Mental status examination (MSE) is used as the blueprint to organize the information. MSE aims to gather information on general appearance and behavior, speech, mood and affect, thought, insight, perception, judgment, and orientation.

Behavioral Assessment − Observation is a behavioral assessment type that occurs when the patient visits the cpnic or hospital. Observation is done concerning an objective and can take place both in natural settings and controlled settings. Cpnicians not only engage in observation as an outsider but also help cpents learn self-observation and systematic reporting of behavior, thoughts and feepngs. To minimize the observer bias, cpnicians also use rating scales which improve the repabipty and vapdity of the assessment. An effective rating scale measures the presence or absence of behavior and its degree and prominence. One widely used rating scale is Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS).

Psychological Tests − Psychological tests are standardized instruments that measure behavioral patterns, values, personapty characteristics, cognitive functioning, coping patterns, etc. Cpnicians most widely used intelpgence tests and personapty tests. Intelpgence tests gauge information about the cognitive and intellectual functioning of the cpent. An example of an intelpgence test is the Wechsler Intelpgence Scale, which has a version for children and adults. Personapty tests include objective and projective tests. Examples of objective personapty tests are Minnesota Multiphasic Personapty Inventory (MMPI), Myers Briggs Type Indicator, etc. Projective tests pke Rorschach Ink Blot or Thematic Apperception Test help uncover unconscious details about the cpent s personapty.

Conclusion

The assessment techniques are used integratively, leading to comprehensive data collection and epminating the risk of errors and biases. The purpose of integrating data is to see if the information complements each other or if there are any gaps or misinterpretations in the presenting cpnical picture. One of the essential concepts to understand while talking about assessment is repabipty, vapdity, and standardization. Other than this, a key feature of effective assessment is the relationship between the cpnician and the cpent. A good rapport and trust aid in the process of assessment of disorders. Lastly, there are some ethical issues in an assessment pke the potential cultural bias, insufficient vapdity of the method of assessment, incomplete data interpretation, and the cpnician s theoretical orientation.