The Clinical Interview

Training Synopsis

Trainings on assessment and diagnosis typically focus on client symptoms and psychopathology, and examine existing diagnostic assessment tools. This training has the actual clinical interview at its focus, exploring how to gather the information you need from each client. Participants will learn how to prepare, what skills are needed, and where to focus each section of the interview.

Core Ideas
This is the training you need to learn how to gather the information you need for diagnosis and treatment planning. What language do you use? How do you take into account a client’s culture in the questions that you ask? How do you address silence, or an unwillingness to participate in the interview? How do you refocus a client or deescalate his or her aggression? What questions can you ask to get at specific symptoms and how do you adjust your query in session as needed? Clients will be able to practice and hone their clinical interviewing skills, which strengthens both the individual client’s treatment experience and the profession as a whole.
     This training has innovations in direct practice as it aims to help the clinician interview clients effectively, allowing the participants to attend to the diverse background of the clients in the specific questions that are utilized, as well as specific ideas in how to ask the questions, (e.g. language, non-verbal communication, vocal tone). It connects to ethics because participants will learn how to ensure their clinical interviewing adheres to the strictest of ethical principles. It connects to advocacy because the better the clinical interview, the better treatment the clients will receive; treatment the clients deserve and need to build a healthy life. This training will teach attendees how to utilize interviewing techniques that meet the needs of the clients they serve.

Testimonials

Learning Objectives

1. Learn the art of diagnosis, gathering specific questions that will aid the clinician in obtaining the most accurate diagnosis with each client.

2. Practice the clinical interview, asking learned questions to aid in differential diagnosis.

3. Obtain decision tree handouts of each disorder group to use in the clinical interview.

Suggested Reading List

        Blackman, J.S. (2010). Get the diagnosis right: Assessment and Treatment selection for mental disorders. New York: Routledge.
         Hasin, D., Samet, S., Nunes, E., Meydan, J., Matseoane, K., & Waxman, R. (2006). Diagnosis of comorbid psychiatric disorders in substance users assessed with the psychiatric research interview for substance and   mental disorders for DSM-IV. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163: 689-696.
         North, C. & Yutzy, S. (2010). Goodwin and Guze’s psychiatric diagnosis. New York: Oxford University Press.
         Maj, M., Gaebel, W., Lopez-Ibor, J.J., & Sartorius, N. (2002). Psychiatric diagnosis and classification. West Sussex, UK: Wiley & Sons.
         Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital Residents and Faculties (2009). The Massachusetts General hospital/Mclean hospital residency handbook of psychiatry. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &     Wilkins.
          Meyer, R.G., & Weaver, C.M. (2006). The clinician’s handbook: Integrated diagnostics, assessment, and intervention in adult and adolescent psychopathology. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Pr Inc.
          Salloum, I.M., & Mezzich, J.E. (2009). Psychiatric diagnosis: Challenges and prospects. West Sussez, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.