Therapeutic Assessment With Child Inpatients

Abstract

Growing evidence supports Therapeutic Assessment (TA), a collaborative and therapeutic approach to psychological assessment, as an effective method for enhancing motivation for and engagement with psychotherapy across a variety of clinical populations and treatment settings. However, to date there are no known studies assessing the use of TA in child psychiatric inpatient settings. This article briefly reviews the structure of child and family TA, enumerates the challenges and risks associated with short-term inpatient stays, and proposes a path for integrating TA into these units as a way to enhance the quality of care and reduce the risk of rapid rehospitalization. The authors provide three case examples from a child psychiatric inpatient unit, each using a modified version of TA and each integrating assessments into brief family interventions. The authors conclude with suggestions for best practice for child psychiatric inpatient TAs.

The Use of Collaborative/Therapeutic Assessment With Oppositional Defiant Disorder

“…The authors outlined many studies applying this methodology in a variety of clinical populations and environments. The CTA has been used with adult outpatients, but it is still a recent development with children and adolescents as well as with hospitalized adults and children (Hinrichs, 2016; Pagano et al, 2019). Nevertheless, research studies report effective results from CTA application in various interventions with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families, showing the impact of feedback assessment.…”

“…These intervention challenges can be addressed with CTA as it involves an integrated plan that assists patients to understand the therapeutic process, increasing their responsibility, motivation, and commitment. CTA can promote active attitudes towards psychotherapy with a demonstrated effectiveness in pubescent males with ODD (Finn et al, 2012; Pagano et al, 2019).…”