This document discusses psychopathology and clinical assessments. It outlines the basic steps in the diagnostic process which includes gathering a patient's history, symptoms, and relevant facts. Clinical interviews are important for obtaining accurate diagnoses and understanding a patient's life situation. Behavioral assessments examine unique details of a patient's problem through observation. Psychological testing is used to determine emotional or cognitive responses associated with disorders. Various types of assessments include personality inventories, intelligence tests, and neuroimaging techniques like MRI and PET scans. Physiological assessments measure changes in the nervous system. Neurological exams may be needed in some cases.

1. Psychopathology
Psychological Assessment and
psycho-diagnostics

2. Clinical
Assessments
• Clinical Assessment is the evaluation and measurement
of psychological, biological and social factors in
individuals who present with possible disorders.
• Clinical assessments entail gathering information and
interpreting in a broader view
• Diagnosis is the process of identifying the problem
presented and which disorder fits the criteria

3. Basic steps in the
diagnostic process
• Ask the patient what is wrong
• If more than once, rank problems
from most important to least
• Take full history and record
relevant facts
• Note observable signs, eg,
fidgeting, eye contact
• May need to do a neurological
examination and etc

4. The clinical interview
Allows the diagnostician to obtain:
A detailed description of the presenting problem
Accurate diagnosis of a variety of mental illnesses
A detailed history of the patient’s life or his current situation including work, habits and relationship.
Information about attitudes, emotions and past behaviour.
Family history

5. Behaviour assessment
• Process makes use of direct observation
• Emphasis on determining unique details of the individual’s problem
• Behaviour is predicted and controlled
• Can take place at school, workplace or at home
• Identify specific behaviour interfering with student’s learning
• Leads to an intervention plan to improve the student’s learning

6. Causes of problem behaviour
Attention seeking.
Self-stimulation –
Internal sensory
positive
reinforcement
Escape from
undesirable
demands
Medical conditions

8. Physiological assessments

9. Neuro-imaging
• Accurate pictures of the brain structure
and functioning
• Studies the human brain in healthy and
impaired populations.
• Using a procedure called Computerised
Tomography (CT) scan
• And a Magnetic Resonance imaging
(MRI)
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
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10. Psycho-physiological
assessment
• Refers to the measurement of the changes in the
nervous system
• Measurement can be taken directly from the brain
• An electro-encephalogram measures brain waves
• Individual heart rate, electrodermal activity and
respiration also measured

12. Neurological assessment
-Necessary for individual who has suffered head injury
-Depression, dementia
-Performing badly in school

13. Psychological testing
Determine emotional, behavioural or cognitive responses that could be
associated with specific disorder.

14. Importance of
psychological
testing

15. Types of tests
• Personality inventories
• Intelligence tests
• Neuropsychological tests
• Behavioural procedures
• Aptitude tests
• Achievement tests

16. False positives, false negatives, and
malingering
False positives, test results indicate a problem when
there isn’t any.
False negatives, test results indicate that there no
problem when its present.
Malingering, deliberately falsifying a test result

17. References
• Paracha, S. (2014). Assessments in clinical settings.
https://www.slideshare.net/sundasparacha3/assessments-in-clinical-
settings?from_search=8
• Sanghvi, P. (2019). Behaviour analysis.
https://www.slideshare.net/PrachiSanghvi3/behaviour-analysis-
199256939?from_search=7
• Bhaskar, P. (2017). Psychological testing.
https://www.slideshare.net/preeti52/psychological-testing-82264985?from_search=0
• Dabhi, R. (2022). Clinical diagnosis seminar.
https://www.slideshare.net/RutuDabhi/clinical-diagnosis-seminarpptx?from_search=0
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18. Continuation
• Ragab, O. (2022). Advances in Neuro-imaging.
https://www.slideshare.net/drosamaragab/advances-in-
neuroimaging-140853246?from_search=3