According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, about 26% of U.S. adults have diagnosable mental conditions every year. Mental health assessments and screenings are essential for diagnosing mental disorders so that these patients can get the necessary treatment in time. The process is usually conducted by mental health experts, such as psychiatrists, clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, or psychologists. These experts rely on mental health assessment tools to help make accurate diagnoses and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Unfortunately, outdated mental health screening tools often lead to delayed treatment, missed diagnoses, misdiagnosis, and overprescribing. This infographic spells out some concerning statistics about the state of mental healthcare. However, there are solutions that help providers make accurate and timely diagnoses.
Interested in how to select the right tools for an accurate diagnosis? Uncover the obstacles to early intervention and proactive care with our eBook Reaching Better Behavioral Health Outcomes with Mental Health Tools.
Otherwise, let’s review what you need to know about mental health assessments, screening, and how to evaluate the applications used.
Every mental disorder manifests differently, but experts have pinpointed common symptoms that indicate further examination is necessary. Patients might need mental health assessment and screening if they experience:
According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), mental health screening is usually completed in the early stages of the therapeutic process and serves different purposes, including:
Mental health assessments invite participants to answer questions regarding their mental state and gather subjective information about their daily experiences. These assessments can be formal or informal, self-reported or therapist-administered, standardized or non-standardized. Note that mental health assessments can be conducted at any stage during the counseling process.
Professionals use various approaches to understand mental health and evaluate the extent of a mental disorder. Assessment and screening tools are among the most reliable tools available to mental health professionals for gathering patient information.
There are various types of standardized mental health assessment tools used to diagnose mental disorders. The most common examples include:
This refers to the evaluation of a patient’s medical, physical, psychological, cognitive, and behavioral history and current conditions to diagnose the presence of any mental disorder. The assessment can be initiated by a mental health expert or the patient.
The interview provides essential information that cannot be obtained using a formal test. In a clinical interview, the mental health professional can observe the patient’s behavior and reactions to real-life situations.
Psychometric testing often comprises formalized personality, cognitive, psychological, behavioral, and emotional functioning tests. These tests are crucial for diagnosing mental health disorders, but they require specialized training to assess, score, and interpret.
What is an example of mental health assessment that involves testing? First, understand that physical and laboratory tests are meant to verify that the patient doesn’t have any physical problems causing a mental disorder.
This approach entails collecting lab data that might include tests of a patient’s genetic profile, hormone levels, immune system, energy metabolism, and nutritional status.
This type of assessment requires using techniques and professionals from other disciplines to help develop a picture of the whole person and broaden the assessment process. Some of the professionals who can assist include audiologists, speech therapists, religious specialists, and vocational rehabilitation specialists.
For a mental health assessment tool to be considered standardized, it must meet specific criteria for all standard outcome measures.
Use this checklist to determine if the tool you are considering is a good standardized assessment tool:
Mental health assessment tools advance clinical care by enabling healthcare providers to electronically screen, interview, monitor, and measure outcomes for adult and pediatric mental health disorders. When an accurate diagnosis is achieved early, treatment outcomes improve.
Proem provides a cohesive set of evidence-based behavioral health tools that empower measurement-based care.
Visit proemhealth.com to learn more about assessment tool options to meet your providers' and patients’ needs.
