Based on the YMH Boston Vignette 5 video, post answers to the following questions: Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment What did the practitioner do well? In what areas can the practitioner improve? At this point in the clinical interview, do you have any compelling concerns? If so, what are they? What would be your next question, and why?
Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
Child and adolescent depression is becoming a major issue of public health concern. A study conducted in the United States utilizing data collected between 2011 and 2016 showed a rise in depression cases among adolescents from 8.3% to 12.9% (Lu, 2019). The World Health Organization (2021) links adolescent depression to growth and development issues, behavioral and emotional issues, and suicidal and self-harm behaviors. This paper reviews and critiques the techniques and methods of a mental health professional applied in the YMH Boston Vignette 5 case.
What Did The Practitioner Do Well? In What Areas Can The Practitioner Improve?
The practitioner handling Vignette case 5 did well based on how she approached the case. She first asked questions that focused on Tony’s feelings and moods. Moods and feelings have been validated as essential measures of adolescent depression and finding young adults’ mental well-being(Thabrew et al., 2018). She also focused her questions on Tony’s school performance and his interests. She also sought to understand how Tony felt about relationships, school work such as homework, and engaging in co-curricular activities, including games such as basketball. However, she failed to establish a trusting practitioner-patient relationship by introducing herself and orienting Tony to the assessment session. Are you interested in an unpublished edition of the assignment ? Get in touch with us. Our team of experts is ready to help.
Compelling Concerns in the Clinical Interview
Three of the most compelling concerns in the Vignette 5 clinical interview are the declining school performance, disinterest and low energy in things he likes, such as playing basketball, and his feelings of not wanting to live anymore. Disinterest in sports and activities once enjoyed and poor performance has been identified as some of the depressive symptoms in adolescents (Finan et al., 2018). The greatest concern today over adolescent depression is the tendency to self-harm and have suicidal thoughts (Mars et al., 2019). Tony’s confession of feeling not wanting to be alive anymore is a compelling concern that the practitioner should look deeper into understanding underlying factors and the extent of the suicidal thoughts so far.
The Next Question and Reasons for the Question
The next question to pose to Tony after establishing suicidal concerns would be, “Have you decided how, when, or who would take your life?” This question is important as it will help establish whether Tony has already made up his mind to commit suicide. It will help identify how he plans to do it and when he plans to. Subsequently, it will be easier to develop a plan to manage his situation and help him from committing suicide.
Importance of Thorough Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment
The psychiatric assessment focuses on identifying the relationship between the child’s mental health and their overall well-being. Psychiatric assessments help establish the behavioral and development risks of the child or adolescent. They can help identify developmental, mental, and behavioral disorders and related risks. The psychiatric assessments also help identify the associated factors that lead to the development of mental and behavioral issues (Wartberg et al., 2018). The assessments also assist in developing treatment plans for the child/adolescent.
Symptom Rating Scales Appropriate to Use During Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment
The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D or HDRS): Is used to assess depression and design a treatment plan. It usually accompanies an unstructured interview with a patient.
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), modified for adolescents: The PHQ-9 for adolescents has validated psychometric measures that assess the severity of depressive symptoms in adolescents (Nandakumar et al., 2019).
Psychiatric Treatment Options for Children and Adolescents that May not be Used When Treating Adults
Play Therapy is a psychiatric therapy that utilizes toys and games to assist children in understanding, verbalizing, and identifying feelings, moods, and emotions. Practitioners observe the child’s interactions with the games and toys to understand their mental state and help them deal with observed negative behaviors or traumatic experiences (Goodyear-Brown, 2019).
Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) helps children and teenagers better understand themselves and develop an identity of themselves. MBT sup