The future of clinical assessment.

Abstract

In the past 20 years, there have been endless arguments over the virtues, limitations, and utility of clinical psychological testing, and alternative perspectives have evolved tied to differing views of personality and clinical intervention. Although investment in the testing role has declined for several reasons, clinical assessment remains an important focus of the clinician's work, and new developments in several areas suggest a revitalization of the field as well as a rapprochement among competing orientations to clinical intervention. Korchin and Schuldberg review emerging trends in the use of protective and objective personality tests, behavioral assessment, clinical interviewing, environmental assessment, and medical uses of psychological assessment. The authors believe that clinical assessment is vital in clinical service, research, and the training of clinical psychologists. -The Editors At the Boulder Conference of 1946, which launched the postwar history of clinical psychology, the field was defined by the trinity of testing, therapy, and research. In earlier years, testing had been the sole function of the practicing clinician. As the concept of a "psychiatric team" evolved, psychologists functioned more as coequals than as technicians, sharing psychotherapeutic responsibilities. However, their primary and unique (if no longer sole) contribution was psychodiagnostic testing. Even today, as clinicians spend proportionately more time in therapeutic activities, assessment remains an important (if less central) clinical function. Over these years, controversy has raged over the virtues, limitations, and utility of clinical psychological testing. Some of these issues will be recalled here in an attempt to visualize the role of assessment in the future of the field. Alternate and new approaches will be considered, as well as trends suggesting increasing need for better assessment methods as clinical psychology grows and diversifies.Stated broadly, "clinical assessment is the process by which clinicians gain understanding of the patient necessary for making informed decisions" (Korchin, 1976, p. 124). Clinical diagnosis, in the restricted sense, may be included, but more usually

What If Alcohol and Other Drug Dependencies Are Not Diagnoses?

“…The usual purpose of making a diagnosis is that it directs the selection of treatment (e.g., Korchin & Schuldberg, 1981, stated that ''the basic justification for assessment is that it provides information of value to the planning, execution and evaluation of treatment,'' p. 1154; see also Hayes, Nelson, & Jarrett, 1987). Often, ''differential'' diagnosis is essential to ensure that treatment addresses the appropriate disorder.…”

Refining Personality Assessments by Combining MCMI High-Point Profiles and MMPI Codes, Part V: MMPI Code 78/87

“…In several cases, the patient's personality structure is the central focus of the presenting problem, and at the present time, the MCMI is the only objective, selfreport inventory explicitly created to elucidate this realm of psychopathology. Some have gone so far as to hail the MCMI as the prime competitor of the MMPI (Butcher & Owen, 1978;Korchin & Schuldberg, 1981).…”

Projective Techniques in the Counseling Process

“…Treatment plans for the process of counseling may be clarified with information derived from projectives (Korchin & Schuldberg, 1981;Rabin, 1981). A decision can be made as to whether the counselor should continue to work with the client, consider a more extensive evaluation, or refer the client to another counselor or related resource (Drummond, 1992).…”