Conducting psychological assessmentChapter 1Wright, A. J. (2011)Clinical interviewing and hypothesis buildingThe first focus of the hypothesis testing model of psychological assessment is building hypotheses.The primary source is the clinical interview.The purpose of the psychological assessment is to identify what is likely causing impairment in the individual’s functioning.The first step is to figure out in what way the individual’s functioning is impaired.This issues reported by eitherThe individual himself or herselfWhoever referred him or her for the assessment are most often at least part of what is impaired in or impairing his or her functioningMost often, what is reported at first is only part of what is actually disturbing the individual or is merely the result of something else that he or she is not even aware of.Practitioners should be both open to the original presenting complaint and ready to consider the possibility of impediments the individual is not aware of.The nature of the presenting problem most often becomes apparent through the process of the clinical interview, the collection of background information, and your own clinical observations. The clinical interview has three major components:The presenting problem (and its history)A symptomatic evaluationA psychosocial evaluationPresenting problem and its history The presenting problem is related to the issues that constitute the reason for the assessment, as well as the history of these issues.Many clients are unclear when discussing their presenting problem.Presenting problem The presenting problem includes whatever complaint the...