Comprehensive Psychopathological Assessment Based on the Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) System: Development, Methodological Foundation, Application in Clinical Routine, and Research

Abstract

The documentation of psychopathology is core to the clinical practice of the psychiatrist and clinical psychologist. However, both in initial as well as further training and specialization in their fields, this particular aspect of their work receives scanty attention only. Yet, for the past 50 years, the Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) System has been in existence and available as a tool to serve precisely the purpose of offering a systematic introduction to the terminology and documentation of psychopathology. The motivation for its development was based on the need for an assessment procedure for the reliable documentation of the effectiveness of newly developed psychopharmacological substances. Subsequently, the AMDP-System began to be applied in the context of investigations into a number of methodological issues in psychiatry (e.g., the frequency and specificity of particular symptoms, the comparison of rating scales). The System then became increasingly important also in clinical practice and, today, represents the most used instrument for the documentation of psychopathology in the German-speaking countries of Europe. This paper intends to offer an overview of the AMDP-System, its origins, design, and functionality. After an initial account of the history and development of the AMDP-System, the discussion will in turn focus on the System’s underlying methodological principles, the transfer of clinical skills and competencies in its practical application, and its use in research and clinical practice. Finally, potential future areas of development in relation to the AMDP-System are explored.

Specialized group intervention for compulsive exercise in inpatients with eating disorders: feasibility and preliminary outcomes

“…multiple sclerosis) and suicidality, (4) concurrent treatment for OCD, (5) severe somatic complications prohibiting light to moderate supervised exercise, and (6) marked cognitive impairment due to underweight severe enough to preclude attending and following a 100 min group session. The clinical assessment of cognitive impairment was based on the Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) System [ 43 ]: Patients had to report moderate or severe deficits in comprehension, attention span and short- or long-term memory or these deficits had to be observable by the clinician during the screening procedure.…”

Suicide risk after psychiatric discharge: study protocol of a naturalistic, long-term, prospective observational study

“…Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale (S-STS, [20]) is used to assess suicidal thoughts and/or behaviour, both clinician and self-reported. Items of the S-STS are scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = not at all, 1 = a little, 2 = moderately, 3 = very, and 4 = extremely).…”

Psychopathology: Rating Scales for the Assessment of Mental Status

“…As a result of the close link between the discovery of psychotropic drugs and the development of rating scales, instruments screening for schizophrenic symptoms were among the first to be developed (cf. Stieglitz et al 2017). In order to measure and evaluate the efficacy of newly discovered substances, instruments have been continuously developed since the 1960s, a number of which remain in use today.…”

“…2) Alternatively, systematic AE screening instruments are used. These, however, are not available for every spectrum of side effects (exception the scale "Somatic Symptoms" in the AMDP system; Stieglitz et al 2017;Broome et al 2018). The best and most extensive rating scales are those designed to assess sexual dysfunctions and extrapyramidal motor symptoms (EPS) (after administration of antipsychotic drugs).…”

“…It is further recognizable that at therapy-end, both rating scales provide equally clear data in relation to therapy success (Möller 2009). Figure 2 illustrates a pre-post comparison of a schizophrenic patient based on the AMDP-System (Broome et al 2018;Stieglitz et al 2017). The eight syndromes allow for a clear representation of syndromes and their changes during therapy.…”