Psychodiagnostic Assessment & Testing

Psychodiagnostic Assessment & Testing (Testing for Diagnosis) 

What is a Disorder?

How do we know when something is a “disorder”?  When does normal behavior become abnormal? 

To help address this question, psychologists use a general rule of thumb for demarcating the line between normal and abnormal behavior to determine if a pattern can be considered disordered.

“The Four D’s” of a disorder. 

Distress

Do the symptoms cause suffering to the person or those around them?

• Nightmares

• Panic

• Distress

• Depressed Mood

• Angry behavior

• Deliberately Annoying others

• Hallucinations

• Suicidal thoughts

Deviance

Do the symptoms cause the person to disrupt or bring harm to others?

• Intentionally Causing Emotional Injury To Others

• Dishonesty

• Manipulation

• Property Destruction 

• Theft

• Running away from home

• Violating the Rights of others

Dangerousness

Do the symptoms place a person at risk of harm to self or others?

• Self-harm

• Angry Behavior

• Verbal/Physical Fighting

• Not Accessing Food, Clothing or Shelter

• Suicidal Behavior

• Homicidal Behavior 

Dysfunction

Do the symptoms prevent normal functioning?

• Difficulty sleep

• Loss of appetite

• Loss of motivation

• Addiction

• Difficulty concentrating

• Difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships

If you or a loved one have thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that cause any of the Four D’s, there may be a mental health concern. 

The first step in treatment involves accurate diagnosis.  We need to clearly identify the problem in order to employ a solution.  As many mental health disorders have similar features, clinicians work diligently to provide an accurate diagnosis. 

My clinic provides a wide range of diagnostic and treatment services.  Once we have the diagnosis, we can move forward with the strongest treatment options.  For most disorders, therapy is the first line of defense.  Medication is also useful for symptom management, although therapy tends to be just as effective (Hollon et al, 2005; Imel et al 2008; Casacalenda, Perry, & Looper, 2002). 

The most important factor in treatment is early identification of a disorder.  The sooner testing can be completed for you or a loved one, the better the outcome will be.  For example, early diagnosis of depression and ADHD has been found to significantly improve wellbeing and put children back on track to normal development (Luby, 2010; Dupaul & Kem, 2011).  However, early diagnosis in adults is equally important (Sherbourne, Asch, & Shugarman, 2009).