Week 2 - Discussion: The Psychiatric Evaluation and Evidence-Based Rating Scales

Instructions:

Respon

d

to

your

colleague

by comparing your assessment tool

(Hamilton

Anxiety Rating Scale

(HAM

-

A)

)

to theirs

.

**minimum of three

(3)

scholarly references are required for each

reply

cited

within the body of the reply & at the end

**

Reply

#

1

Melanie

Artress

The

Psychiatric

Evaluation

and

Evidence

-

Based

Rating

Scales

The

psychiatric

interview

is

the

tool

that

health

professionals,

primarily

psychologists

or

psychiatrists

and

sometimes

nurses

or

social

workers,

use

to

complete

psychiatric

assessments

(

Carlat,

2017

).

The

purpose

of

a

psychiatric

interview

is

to

set

up

a

therapeutic

relationship

with

the

client

to

enable

the

collection

of

data,

organization,

and

synthesis

that

will

facilitate

diagnosis

and

treatment

interventions.

A

psychiatric

evaluation

should

be

conducted

depending

on

the

patient's

presenting

symptoms

(Lerman,

2020).

Nevertheless,

the

three

main

components

that

should

be

addre

ssed

for

successful

assessment

include

the

patient's

history,

mental

status

examination,

and

current

illness

history.

Getting

the

patient's

history

is

crucial

as

various

medical

conditions

have

symptoms

that

can

cause

a

psychiatric

break.

Also,

assessing

t

he

current

illness

history

ensures

that

definite

causes

are

identified,

and

the

course

of

the

symptoms

is

determined.

In

this

process,

healthcare

workers

can

assess

mood

symptoms,

psychotic

and

anxiety

-

related

symptoms,

suicidal

issues,

and

substance

use.

Lastly,

examination

of

mental

status

assists

healthcare

providers

in

recognizing

any

cognitive

impairment,

psychotic

symptoms,

and

other

mood

disturbances

(Tarafder

&

Mukhopadhyay,

2018).

The

mental

status

examination

also

examines

other

client

components

comprising

the

appearance

of

the

patient

mood,

orientation,

and

thought

content

utilized

in

making

a

comprehensive

diagnosis.

The

PHQ

-

9

is

the

nine

-

item

depression

scale

of

the

client

wellbeing

questionnaires.

These

nine

items

of

this

scale

are

founded

dir

ectly

on

the

nine

diagnostic

criteria

for

significant

depressive

disorders

in

the

DSM

-

IV.

This

scale

can

operate

as

a

screening

tool

and

help

diagnose

and

as

a

tool

of

tracking

symptoms

that

can

assist

in

tracking

the

client's

general

depression

severity

a

nd

the

improvement

of

definite

symptoms

with

treatment

(Kroenke,

2021).

The

psychometric

properties

of

the

PHQ

-

9

scale

include

reliability

and

validity,

which

indicates

it

has

sound

psychometric

properties.

The

PHQ

-

9

has

been

severally

confirmed

in

primary

care

settings,

although

it

has

also

been

employed

productively

in

behavioral

health

facilities.

This

scale

is

essential

to

health

care

professionals

since,

during

the

first

visit

for

depression

care,

it

is

used

to

help

diagnose

and

recognize

symptoms

of

t

he

problem

(

American

Psychiatric

Association,

2013

).

It

is

also

helpful

as

it

can

be

self

-

administered

or

clinician

-

administered,

and

it

is

well

validated

and

documented

in

various

populations.

Instructions:

Respond to your colleague by comparing your assessment tool (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale

(HAM-A)) to theirs.

**minimum of three (3) scholarly references are required for each reply cited

within the body of the reply & at the end**

Reply # 1

Melanie Artress

The Psychiatric Evaluation and Evidence-Based Rating Scales

The psychiatric interview is the tool that health professionals, primarily psychologists or psychiatrists

and sometimes nurses or social workers, use to complete psychiatric assessments (Carlat, 2017). The purpose of

a psychiatric interview is to set up a therapeutic relationship with the client to enable the collection of data,

organization, and synthesis that will facilitate diagnosis and treatment interventions. A psychiatric evaluation

should be conducted depending on the patient's presenting symptoms (Lerman, 2020). Nevertheless, the three

main components that should be addressed for successful assessment include the patient's history, mental status

examination, and current illness history. Getting the patient's history is crucial as various medical conditions

have symptoms that can cause a psychiatric break.

Also, assessing the current illness history ensures that definite causes are identified, and the course of

the symptoms is determined. In this process, healthcare workers can assess mood symptoms, psychotic and

anxiety-related symptoms, suicidal issues, and substance use. Lastly, examination of mental status assists

healthcare providers in recognizing any cognitive impairment, psychotic symptoms, and other mood

disturbances (Tarafder & Mukhopadhyay, 2018). The mental status examination also examines other client

components comprising the appearance of the patient mood, orientation, and thought content utilized in making

a comprehensive diagnosis.

The PHQ-9 is the nine-item depression scale of the client wellbeing questionnaires. These nine items of

this scale are founded directly on the nine diagnostic criteria for significant depressive disorders in the DSM-IV.

This scale can operate as a screening tool and help diagnose and as a tool of tracking symptoms that can assist

in tracking the client's general depression severity and the improvement of definite symptoms with treatment

(Kroenke, 2021). The psychometric properties of the PHQ-9 scale include reliability and validity, which

indicates it has sound psychometric properties. The PHQ-9 has been severally confirmed in primary care

settings, although it has also been employed productively in behavioral health facilities. This scale is essential to

health care professionals since, during the first visit for depression care, it is used to help diagnose and

recognize symptoms of the problem (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is also helpful as it can be

self-administered or clinician-administered, and it is well validated and documented in various populations.