Case Studies in Assessment
Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read the assigned chapters from the text. It is highly recommended that you review the brief Alzheimer’s Association, Florida Links to an external site. (2018) video demonstrating the administration of a mental status examination. This video is linked above and is also listed in the recommended resources. Although not required, this video shows the administration of a mental status exam and may prove helpful in this discussion.
Access the Barnhill (2014) DSM-5 Clinical Cases e-book in the DSM-5 library and select one of the case studies. The case study you select must be one in which the client could be assessed using one or more of the assessment instruments discussed in this week’s reading on testing special populations and neuropsychological testing.
For this discussion, you will take on the role of a psychology intern at a mental health facility working under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. In this role, you will conduct a psychological evaluation of a client referred to you for a second opinion using valid psychological tests and assessment procedures. The case study you select from the textbook will serve as the information provided to you from the professional who previously evaluated the client (e.g., the psychologist or psychiatrist).
In your initial post, begin with a paragraph briefly summarizing the main information about the case you selected. Evaluate and describe the ethical and professional interpretation of any assessment information presented in the case study. Devise an assessment battery for a psychological evaluation that minimally includes a clinical interview, mental status exam, intelligence test, observations of the client, and at least two psychological tests specific to the diagnostic impressions (e.g., attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, etc.). The assessment plan must be presented as a list of recommended psychological tests and assessment procedures with a brief sentence explaining the purpose of each test or procedure. Following the list of tests and assessment procedures you recommend for your client, compare the assessment instruments that fall within the same categories (e.g., intelligence test or achievement test), and debate the pros and cons of the tests and procedures you selected versus the test and procedures reported by the referring professional. If no psychological tests or specific assessment procedures are mentioned in the case study, minimally assume a diagnostic interview was conducted and debate the pros and cons of the tests and procedures you selected versus making a diagnosis based only on a diagnostic interview.
Note: It is common for there to be a delay between the time a test publisher updates a test and the time the textbook and other authors can update their information about the new version of the test. Be sure to do online research to make sure you are recommending the most current version of the test. If there is a newer version than the version discussed in the textbook or other readings, recommend the newest version.
