This week, as you explore assessment and diagnosis in psychotherapy, you examine assessment tools, including their psychometric properties and appropriate use. You also develop diagnoses for clients receiving psychotherapy and consider legal and ethical implications of counseling these clients. Below you will find your assigned assessment tool for this week’s discussion.

Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale

1) Post an explanation of the psychometric properties of the assessment tool you were assigned (Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale).

2)  Explain when it is appropriate to use this assessment tool with clients, including whether the tool can be used to evaluate the efficacy of psychopharmacologic medications. 

3) Support your approach with evidence-based literature. 

4) Also develop diagnoses for clients receiving psychotherapy and consider legal and ethical implications of counseling these clients

Required Readings

Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

• Chapter 3, “Assessment and Diagnosis” (pp. 95–168)
• Chapter      4, “The Initial Contact and Maintaining the Frame” (pp. 169–224)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Note: It is highly recommended that you use this resource as a reference guide throughout the course. You will access this text from the Walden Library databases. 

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (1995). Practice parameters for the psychiatric assessment of children and adolescents. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/practice_parameters/psychiatric_assessment_practice_parameter.pdf

American Psychiatric Association. (2016). Practice guidelines for the psychiatric evaluation of adults (3rd ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. Retrieved from http://psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.books.9780890426760

Walden Library. (2017). NURS 6640 week 2 discussion guide. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/nurs6640week2discussion

Walden University. (n.d.). Tests & measures: Home. Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/testsmeasures
Note: This database may be helpful in obtaining assessment tool information for this week’s Discussion.

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015a). Counseling competencies—The application of ethical guides and laws to record keeping [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Provided courtesy of the Laureate International Network of Universities.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 23 minutes. (See Attached Transcript for the Media)