Running head: CLINICAL ASSESSMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS

Clinical Assessment in Mental Health Centers

Psych 655/ Psychometrics
September 12, 2016
Jennifer Lapin

Clinical Assessment in Mental Health Centers

Introduction
The clinical assessments assist in diagnosing and planning treatment for the patients by
finding out the problems, which particular patients may be having. Apparently, there are several
kinds of the psychological assessments, and each of them is good in one way or the other.
Indeed, it is all dependent on what kind of problem the patient may be having and what kind of
tool is suitable for the assessment. The clinicians have several responsibilities and duties when it
comes to carrying out the evaluations, as well as, administration of the tools to the patients.
Undeniably, the clinicians are mandated to familiarize themselves with the issues linked to the
culturally informed assessment, substance abuse and addiction, and the custody evaluations.
The Culturally Informed Assessments
Among the issues that are related to assessments, there is one that puts the focus on the
culturally informed evaluations. According to Cohen, Swerdlick & Sturman, (2013), this form of

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appraisal is referred to as the technique of evaluation, which focuses on the issues linked to
worldviews, values, language, and acculturation among other features, which have a focus that is
culturally bound. Apparently, culture has a huge impact on the way the interpretation of
information within the assessment or tool is carried out. Whatever assessment that entails culture
or language, particularly in the United States, has to be sensitive culturally to a level that it
should not exhibit partiality to other cultures. Culturally sensitive is a terminology, which is
defined as considering every culture and having an understanding that people share different
views and beliefs (Cohen, et al., 2013). Indeed, when an individual turns out to be culturally
sensitive, this means that he or she is aware of the differences that exist among people as
individuals, and consequently makes clinical assessments increase in both validity and accuracy.
Consideration of ones culture is vital in the interview process, diagnosis, case
formulation, and treatment of the individuals that are culturally diverse. Evaluating these people
brings about issues, which clinicians require to deal with to formulate a precise diagnosis, as well
as treatment plan acceptable to the patient. Notably, assessing minority patients has additional
complexity layers in comparison to the non-minority patients, particularly when the patient
comes from a different ethnic or cultural background from that of the clinician (Lu, Lim &
Mezzich, 2016). Accordingly, clinicians are supposed to come up with culturally competent
skills, attitudes, and knowledge. In this regard, the clinicians ought to have some knowledge
about the cultural identity of the patient, and the utilization of a cultural consultant may be found
to be suitable to evade misdiagnosis and bias even though the patient and the clinician originate
from the same ethnicity and culture. Moreover, clinicians are supported to have some awareness
of their cultural identity, as well as their beliefs and attitudes toward the ethnic minorities since
these will have an effect on the way they relate to the patients. Further, clinicians are required to
have additional skills since traditional techniques of carrying out interviews with the patients

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may not be effectual and the psychological tests may be found not to be suitable or adequate. The
clinicians may be required to involve an interpreter or may be necessary to carry out family
interviews, and there may be a need to modify the psychological tests (Lu et al., 2016).
Assessments of Addiction and Substance Abuse
The treatment for alcohol or drug problem always starts with carrying out a substance
abuse and addiction assessment. In this regard, the purpose of the evaluation is finding out
whether addiction is there, the extent of such addiction, whether co-occurring conditions as
present and to help in developing a treatment plan. The experts trained to undertake the diagnosis
of addictions usually carry out drug and alcohol abuse assessments within the private settings.
The information provided by the patient is kept private and confidential, and it is only utilized to
help in the treatment of the patient (Samet, Waxman, Hatzenbuehler & Hasin, 2007).
Fundamentally, different types of the health care professionals are offered training to
carry out the assessment on individuals for addictions, encompassing nurses, psychologists,
doctors, social workers, counselors, and therapists. In most cases, several professionals evaluate
the patient, especially in case the patient is being taken care of at a medical facility that treats
addictions. Ostensibly, this assists in ensuring that the patient gets the right diagnosis for his or
her condition and most excellent treatment. The assessments usually include the physical
examinations, self-assessment, and use of questionnaires (Samet et al., 2007).
Custody Evaluations
Most parents living apart engage in negotiations regarding custody measures on their own
or with the assistance of the mediators, or lawyers. Nevertheless, psychologists among other
mental health experts have increasingly turned out to get involved in the evaluation of families
and children in the custody disputes due to a huge number of divorced, never-married, or
separated parents and the considerable conflict, which usually comes with the family breakup. In
theory, the law controls and guides the child custody evaluations. However, the routine care
standard is an unclear rule, which directs judges to come up with decisions that are unique to the

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individual cases based on what will be in the best interest of the children in future (Emery, Otto
& ODonohue, 2005). Within such vacuum, the custody evaluators usually engage in
administering to children and parents, a range of tests and carry an assessment on them using less
formal ways encompassing observation and interviews. Unfortunately, it is established that tests
specifically designed to assess the questions that are related to custody are insufficient on the
scientific grounds. Moreover, the claims presented by some professionals concerning their
favorable constructs are equally empty when exposed to scientific analysis (Emery, et al., 2005).
Thus, there is an urgent need to take appropriate measures to ensure custody evaluation is
ultimately valuable.
Conclusion
From the discussions, it is clear that the clinical assessments assist in diagnosing and
planning treatment for the patients by finding out the problems, which particular patients may be
having. The mental clinical centers should come up with proper policies to ensure that these
assessments are carried out in the best way possible. In this regard, they should also hire
qualified staff to perform these activities. The clinicians have the duty and responsibility to
familiarize themselves with the issues linked to the culturally informed assessment, substance
abuse, and addiction, and the custody evaluations because these areas are crucial for carrying out
the clinical assessments.

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References
Cohen, M., Swerdlick E. & Sturman J. R. (2013). Psychological testing and assessment. New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Emery, E. R., Otto K. R. & ODonohue T. W. (2005). Custody evaluations: limited science and
flawed system. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, (6(1), 1-29.
Lu, F. G., Lim R. F., & Mezzich E. J. (2016). Issues in the assessment and diagnosis of culturally
diverse individuals. A Network of Care. Retrieved September 11, 2016. From,
http://losangeles.networkofcare.org/mh/library/article.aspx?id=339
Samet, S., Waxman, R., Hatzenbuehler, M. & Hasin, D.S. (2007). Assessing Addiction: Concepts
and instruments. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 4 (1), 19-31.