Assessment and Diagnosis

Assessment and Diagnosis

The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of the importance of assessment and diagnosis in the counseling process. In the first two sections, the roles of assessment and diagnosis as they relate to case conceptualization and treatment planning will be explored. The potential implications of misdiagnosis will be the focus of the final section.

Assessment

Becoming acquainted with a potential client’s history, personality and present concerns is necessary in forming a foundation for counseling interventions. This information gathering phase is referred to as assessment (Mears, 2010). While some mental health professionals will use an interview as their primary assessment tool, others will utilize testing or symptom checklists to gather relevant data (Mears, 2010). It is important for the counselor to be thorough in this process, regardless of the manner in which the information is gathered.

A comprehensive review of the information gained in the assessment leads to case conceptualization. Mears (2010) refers to this process as “the way professional counselors make meaning out of the information they have gathered” (p.282). An effective case conceptualization is dependent on the assessment as well as the counselor’s skill and attentiveness in processing that information. Other factors that influence the case conceptualization include the counselor’s theoretical foundation and cultural considerations related to the client concerns (Mears, 2010).

The assessment and case conceptualization are critical in guiding a counselor to create a treatment plan. The treatment plan outlines the specific goals and interventions that will guide the counseling process (Mears, 2010). An example would be a client’s...

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...ed and any changes in the client’s complaints throughout the process. These developments must continually be factored into the case conceptualization, diagnosis and treatment plan.

References

Braun, S. A., & Cox, J. A. (2005). Managed mental health care: Intentional misdiagnosis of mental disorders. Journal of Counseling & Development, 83 (4), 425-433.

Bufford, R. K. (2008). Case studies. Journal of Psychology & Christianity, 27 (1), 66-72.

Mead, M. A., Hohenshil, T. H., & Singh, K. (1997). How the DSM system is used by clinical counselors: A national study. Journal Of Mental Health Counseling, 19(4), 383.

Mears, G. (2010). Assessment, case conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment planning. In B.T. Erford (Ed.), Orientations to the Counseling Profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (pp.269-297). New Jersey: Pearson

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