What information is necessary to get a full picture of this client’s issues and circumstances?
As clients begin to offer information about themselves and their reasons for seeking professional assistance, or as forensic referrals provide you with information, you must ask yourself, “What information is necessary to get a full picture of this client’s issues and circumstances?” The data you collect during assessment will be crucial to your diagnosis and treatment of the client or in answering forensic referral questions. Clinical assessment begins at the start of the therapeutic relationship and must be a continuous and vital part of the relationship, as it offers guidance and direction in the application of clinical services when the purpose is to provide treatment. Clinical assessment is also the foundation for answering forensic mental health referral questions.
To prepare:
- Review the case study for “Zell Kravinsky” on page 6 of Abnormal Psychology.
- Consider the types of data and their relevance to an assessment.
