Posted: November 24th, 2023

Psychological Assessment Case Study

Case Studies In Assessments. Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read the assigned chapters from the text. It is highly recommended that you review each of the brief Blumenfeld (2012) video clips demonstrating the administration of a mental status examination. These are listed in the recommended resources and may require that you download Quicktime in order to view them. Although not required, these videos show 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.

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, intellectual assessment, observations of the client, and at least two assessment instruments specific to the diagnostic impressions (e.g., attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, etc.). The assessment battery must include at least one approach to assessing your client which is different from the assessments previously administered. 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., intellectual or achievement), and debate the pros of cons of the instruments and procedures you selected versus the instruments and procedures reported by the referring professional.

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Psychological Assessment Case Study
This case study examines the psychological evaluation of a client referred for a second opinion evaluation at a community mental health center. The initial information provided indicates the client has been experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating that have impacted their daily functioning. During the first evaluation, the assessing professional conducted a clinical interview and administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), noting elevated scores on both measures.
In order to conduct a more comprehensive psychological evaluation, the following assessment battery was proposed:
Clinical interview: To gather more in-depth details about symptoms, history, relationships, and functioning that could provide important context.
Mental status exam: To assess presentation, behavior, mood, affect, speech, thought process, insight, judgment and rule out any cognitive impairments.
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV): To obtain an IQ score and further evaluate attention, processing speed, and executive functioning which could provide insight into reported concentration difficulties.
Conners Continuous Performance Test, Third Edition (CPT 3): To objectively measure sustained and selective attention and impulsivity which would help determine if attentional problems are contributing to symptoms.
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2nd Edition (MMPI-2): To assess personality characteristics and validate reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. This would provide a more comprehensive view of psychological functioning compared to the BDI and BAI alone.
Behavioral observations during testing: To note behaviors, social skills, and any other relevant observations that could inform case conceptualization.
Compared to the previous evaluation which only included self-report depression/anxiety measures, conducting objective tests of attention, personality, and intelligence in addition to clinical interviews and mental status exams would provide a more well-rounded understanding of this client before determining a diagnosis or treatment plan. The proposed assessment battery aimed to differentiate between attentional versus mood/anxiety etiologies and identify any cognitive impairments through a multi-method, multi-informant approach. This case study highlights the importance of comprehensive psychological evaluation in conceptualizing client presentations and needs.
Blumenfeld, M. (2012). Administration of a mental status examination. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Yh87Y4y2A
Barnhill, J. W. (2014). DSM-5 clinical cases. American Psychiatric Publishing.
Conners, C. K. (2014). Conners continuous performance test 3rd edition. Multi-Health Systems.
Wechsler, D. (2008). Wechsler adult intelligence scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS–IV). Psychological Corporation.
Butcher, J. N., Dahlstrom, W. G., Graham, J. R., Tellegen, A., & Kaemmer, B. (2001). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2): Manual for administration and scoring. University of Minnesota Press

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