Reference no: EM133795479
Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
The assessment presented in vignette video 5 depicts the mental evaluation of Tony, who is being assessed for depression. In this case, the practitioner did well by eliciting key questions that evaluate depression. According to Karrouri et al. (2021), depression is characterized by a low mood, loss of interest, changes in sleep and appetite, decreased energy levels, loss of hope, loss of interest, and suicidal ideations. In the video, the therapist inquired about mood changes, suicidal ideations, energy changes, effect on functionality, and duration of the symptoms, all of which are pertinent for making a diagnosis of depression. Secondly, the practitioner prompted the patient on drug use behavior, which is critical for diagnosing depression. Karrouri et al. (2021) stated that before diagnosing depression, the symptoms should be confirmed not to be due to drug use.
Despite eliciting critical questions, there are various areas that the therapist could have improved. First, the therapist should have created a rapport before speaking to the patient. Creating a rapport is critical for building a therapeutic relationship, trust, and mutual respect, thus enhancing the success of the assessment and treatment (Wang & Wang, 2022). Secondly, the therapist equally did not elaborate on the anxiety symptoms that the patient experienced. Tony reported that he experiences a pounding heart and fear whenever he remembers being left by his girlfriend. These symptoms are often typical of anxiety, and the therapists should have evaluated them further. The interview session was conducted meticulously, and it was compelling when Tony started to report that he did not desire to live anymore. Loss of hope is common in people with depression and is likely to drive them to suicide (Karrouri et al., 2021). Further, Tony even had suicidal ideations that should prompt the therapist to initiate an appropriate intervention immediately. Book your online tutor now!
From the interview, therefore, the next question that the therapists should ask is the ideas that Tony has about hurting himself. Through such knowledge, the therapists will be able to forge ways of protecting Tony against self-harm. Conducting a comprehensive psychiatric assessment is crucial for diagnosing mental illnesses, especially in adolescents and children. Unlike adults, children and adolescents do not explain their concerns comprehensively, making a critical assessment crucial to diagnosing behavioral, emotional, and psychological disturbances (Sharma et al., 2019). While examining adolescents and children, it is essential to use appropriate rating scales to determine the severity of their illness, which affects the treatment that will be initiated. In screening for depression, for example, the Children's Depression Rating Scale is one of the valuable tools that can be used. The tool was derived from the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and had 16 items for screening depression for children between 6-12 years (Jelinek et al., 2021).
When screening for anxiety, on the other hand, Spence Children's Anxiety Scale can be used. The tool is appropriate for 8-15 years and comprises 45 items with sub-sections assessing various anxieties (Galán-Luque et al., 2023). After rating the severity of these mental ailments, a therapist should select an appropriate management to deal with the symptoms. Various interventions can be used for children but are not applicable for adults. First, play therapy is one intervention that utilizes children's play for therapeutic purposes. In play therapy, the interventions are delivered with play, thus making the children able to grasp. Similarly, parent-child interaction therapy is used by psychiatrists for children with psychological disorders by making them actively engage with their parents and address psychodynamic disorders (Chirico et al., 2020).
During an assessment of an adolescent or children, the presence of a parent or guardian plays a fundamental role. First, for children of descent below 18, the presence of the parents is crucial as they provide consent before any intervention is done. Second, during an examination, the parent offers important information on history, especially for children aged 5-10, where they may not be able to explain it comprehensively (Sharma et al., 2019).