Classification Part 2

Question 1

reliability

Answer 1

• consistency of measurement
• • inter-rater: degree to which 2 independent observers agree
• • test-retest: whether the same person re-taking the same test score similarly
• • alternate-form: whether one person’s scores on 2 forms of the same test are consistent
• • internal consistency: whether items on a test are related to another

Question 2

validity

Answer 2

• extent to which a measure fills its intended purpose (accuracy) -> unreliable measures don’t have good validity
• • content validity: whether a measure accurately samples domain of interest (ie. does anxiety questionnaire cover all aspects of anxiety?)
• • criterion validity: whether a measure is associated in an expected way with some other measure (the criterion) (ie. are scores on an anxiety test associated with anxiety?)
• • construct validity: whether scores on an assessment relate to other variables/behaviours (ie. do people score high on an anxiety test because they truly have high anxiety?) -> most important for diagnosis
• • Case validity: extent to which the formulation of a case encompasses influences that contribute to distress/dysfunction for a particular individual

Question 3

Psychological assessment techniques

Answer 3

• clinical interviews: conversation between client and psychologist to determine diagnosis, history, cause of problems, and treatment options
• structured interviews: interviewer uses a set of questions (ex. SCID -> branching interview)
• Evidence-based assessment: selecting assessment measures based on reliability/validity
• psychological tests: standardized tests using test norms to score people (ie. Personality inventories like MMPI, Projective tests like Rorschach or Thematic Apperception, Intelligence tests like Wechsler and Stanford-Binet – but doesn’t always apply to certain groups ie. Inuit)
• cognition tests (self-report questionnaires focusing on a single cognitive characteristic, like fear of negative evaluation)

Question 4

Cognitive Behavioural Case Formulation

Answer 4

• CB Case Formulation (individualized theory about cases of particular people -> problem list, diagnosis, working hypothesis, strengths and assets, and treatment plan)

Question 5

Types of Biological Assessment

Answer 5

Brain Imaging (ex. CT, MRI, fMRI, PET)

Question 6

neuropsychological assessment

Answer 6

• based on idea that different psychological functions exist in different areas of brain
• ex. Halstead-Reitan Battery (Tactile Performance Tests, Category Test, Speech Sounds Perception Test), Luria-Nebraska battery

Question 7

neurologist vs. neuropsychologist

Answer 7

• neurologist: physician specializing in medical diseases that affect the nervous system
• neuropsychologist: studies how dyfunctions of brain affect ways we think, feel, and behave

Question 8

Goals of neuropsychological assessment

Answer 8

• measuring brain function
• identifying profile associated with syndrome
• establish location
• determine whether deficits are present
• describe neuropsychological strengths/weaknesses
• assess patient’s feelings about syndrome
• provide treatment recommendations

Question 9

Psychophysiological Assessment

Answer 9

• concerned with bodily changes that accompany psychological events; not sensitive enough to be used for diagnosis
• ex. electrocardiogram (heart rate), electrodermal responding (skin conductance/sweat), EEG (brain activity)

Question 10

5 constituencies of the DSM-5

Answer 10

• research
• clinical practice
• pharmaceutical industry
• legal system
• general public

Question 11

history of classification

Answer 11

• early on, very inconsistent
• WHO and APA then published lists of mental disorders (ICD and DSM, respectively)
• revisions of both ICD and DSM, including use of multiaxial classification (each individual rated on 5 separate dimensions/axes) and more cultural sensitivity (Cultural Formulation Outline/Interview); some revisions controversial (too hypothetical, driven by financial gain, doesn’t include all disorders -> ex. internet addiction disorder, etc.)

Question 12

5 axes of DSM

Answer 12

• all categories except personality disorders and mental retardation
• personality disorders and mental retardation
• general medical conditions
• psychosocial and environmental problems
• current level of functioning

Question 13

2 components of reliability when it comes to classification

Answer 13

• sensitivity: agreement regarding the presence of a diagnosis
• specificity: agreement concerning the absence of a diagnosis

Question 14

DSM Diagnostic Categories

Answer 14

• Neurodevelopmental
• Psychotic
• Bipolar
• Depressive
• Anxiety
• OCD
• Trauma/stressor-related
• dissociative
• somatic
• feeding/eating
• elimination
• sleep-wake
• sexual dysfunctions
• disruptive, impulse control, conduct
• substance
• neurocognitive
• personality
• paraphiliac

Question 15

DSM-5 V Codes

Answer 15

conditions or significant factors that are not disorders but can have strong influence on treatment

Question 16

New additions to DSM-5

Answer 16

• new disorders
• new criteria for disorders
• new categories combining previous ones
• new conceptualizations of disorders
• new names for disorders
• new dimensional ratings for disorders
• new emphasis on suicidality
• new format

Question 17

Controversial changes to DSM

Answer 17

• adding ASD as overarching category
• Creating disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
• excluding bereavement for criteria for depression
• personality disorders are now categories, not dimensions
• some disorders were omitted