Psychological diagnostics in health care

Preface 5

Part I Fundamental aspects of diagnostics 13
1 The diagnostic process 15
Patricia Bijttebier, Jan ter Laak and Hans Vertommen
1.1 Introduction 15
1.2 Steps in the diagnostic process 16
1.3 Five basic questions in clinical psychodiagnostics 18
1.4 The diagnostic cycle 22
1.5 The diagnostic process: from the application to the report 23
1.6 Diagnosis and Treatment Combinations (DTCs) 30
1.7 Conclusion 32
Literature 32

2 Diagnostic quality 35
Jan ter Laak and Frans Luteijn
2.1 Introduction 35
2.2 Quality requirements for frames of reference, models and tests 35
2.3 The quality of the diagnostic process 44
2.4 Diagnostic quality: accountability to the public, the scientific community and the client 49
Literature 52

Part II Diagnostic methods and the reporting of diagnostics 55
3 The interview 57
Agnes Scholing and Sako Visser
3.1 Introduction 57
3.2 The role and purpose of the interview in the diagnostic cycle 57
3.3 Requirements for the interview 59
3.4 The content of the interview 62
3.5 Rating scales and structured interviews 65
3.6 The actual implementation of the interview 72
3.7 Potential obstacles during the interview 73
3.8 Other interviews during the intake phase 77
3.9 Reporting 80
Literature 80

4 Behavioral Observation 85
Agnes Scholing, Paul Emmelkamp and
Chiquit van Linden van den Heuvell
4.1 Introduction 85
4.2 Unstandardized observation 87
4.3 Standardized observation 89
4.4 Standardized observation of specific phenomena 95
4.5 In conclusion 102
Literature 102

5 Indirect methods 105
Johan Vereycken, Joseph Corveleyn, Frans Luteijn and Patrick Luyten
5.1 Introduction 105
5.2 Characteristics of indirect methods 105
5.3 Types of indirect methods 109
5.4 Interpreting and interpretation processes 115
5.5 Evaluating and using indirect methods 115
Literature 117

6 Intelligence and intelligence tests 121
Roy Kessels and Frans Luteijn
6.1 Introduction 121
6.2 Intelligence tests 123
6.3 Intelligence tests in actual practice 132
Literature 138

7 Neuropsychological questions and methods 145
Martine van Zandvoort
7.1 Introduction 145
7.2 Possible misconceptions 149
7.3 Types of questions 150
7.4 Measuring instruments 153
7.5 Interpretation problems 164
Literature 168

8 Personality questionnaires 173
Frans Luteijn, Jan ter Laak and Dick Barelds
8.1 Introduction 173
8.2 Characteristics and principles of personality questionnaires 173
8.3 Several personality questionnaires 178
8.4 The use of personality questionnaires in health care 185
8.5 Conclusion 188
Literature 188

9 Questionnaires for measuring problem areas 193
Dick Barelds
9.1 Introduction 193
9.2 General psychopathology questionnaires 195
9.3 Specific questionnaires 199
9.4 The use of general psychopathology questionnaires in health care 209
9.5 The use of specific questionnaires in health care 210
9.6 Conclusion 212
Literature 213

10 Computer-assisted clinical diagnostics 217
Dick Barelds
10.1 Introduction 217
10.2 Advantages and disadvantages of computer-assisted diagnostics 219
10.3 Equivalence of computer-based tests and paper-andpencil tests 223
10.4 Adaptive testing 224
10.5 Online tests 227
10.6 Conclusion 229
Literature 230

11 Ethical aspects and the reporting of diagnostics 233
Frans Luteijn
11.1 Introduction 233
11.2 Ethical guidelines for diagnostics 233
11.3 Reporting of diagnostics 238
11.4 Conclusion 245
Literature 246

12 Dynamic personality diagnostics 247
Liesbeth Eurelings-Bontekoe and William Snellen
12.1 Introduction 247
12.2 Descriptive diagnostics vs. structural diagnostics 248
12.3 The importance of trait models for personality diagnostics 250
12.4 The rationale behind the Dynamic Theory-driven Profile Interpretation (DTP) of the Dutch Short Form of the MMPI (NVM) 252
12.5 Theory-driven interpretation of the different scales of the NVM within the DTP 257
12.6 The method of the Dynamic Theory-driven Profile Interpretation of the NVM 262
12.7 A brief summary of several studies into the value of the DTP of the NVM 264
12.8 Limitations 266
12.9 In conclusion 267
Literature 268

Part III Examples of psychological diagnostics in health care 273
13 A psychodiagnostic case study 275
Lucas Hamelinck
13.1 Introduction 275
13.2 Application 276
13.3 The diagnostician’s reflections 280
13.4 The diagnostic scenario 281
13.5 Diagnostic examination 285
13.6 Reporting 292
Literature 292

14 The diagnostic process for questions pertaining to dementia 293
Han Diesfeldt
14.1 Introduction 293
14.2 What is going on? The recognition question 295
14.3 What will happen? The prediction question 300
14.4 How can I understand this? The explanation question 301
14.5 What should be done? The indication question 305
14.6 What has changed? The evaluation question 310
14.7 Conclusion 313
Literature 313

15 Forensic psychodiagnostic examination in the case of an arsonist 317
Corine de Ruiter
15.1 Introduction 317
15.2 The recognition question 318
15.3 The explanation question 319
15.4 The indication question 320
15.5 The prediction question 321
15.6 The evaluation question 322
15.7 Conclusion 328
Literature 329

16 Using a practical example to explain the Dynamic Theorydriven Profile Interpretation 333
Liesbeth Eurelings-Bontekoe and William Snellen
16.1 Introduction 333
16.2 Original complaints and former psychiatric diagnostics 334
16.3 Background 334
16.4 Reason for referral for the current psychodiagnostic examination 335
16.5 Interview with the patient 335
16.6 Recognizing descriptive personality diagnostics on the basis of a DSM-IV Axis II self-report screener and a semi-structured interview 337
16.7 Explanatory diagnostics on the basis of the Dynamic
Theory-driven Profile Interpretation of the NVM 338
16.8 Reflections on the materials 343
16.9 Response to the question and summary of the explanatory diagnostics 345
16.10 Recommendations for the treatment strategy 347
16.11 The added value of the DTP of the NVM 348

Literature 349
Index 351
About the authors 357