Diagnosis Made Easier, Third Edition: Principles and Techniques for Mental Health Clinicians

This book is a valuable resource for mental health practitioners, providing step-by-step guidance on diagnostic decision-making in mental health, with an emphasis on effective treatment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 348 pages
Publication date: 02 February 2024
Publisher: Guilford Publications

The third edition of this comprehensive practitioner resource and course text, updated for the DSM-5 Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), takes the reader step by step through the diagnostic decision-making process in mental health. Guidelines are provided for evaluating information from multiple sources, constructing a comprehensive differential diagnosis, creating a safety hierarchy, and utilizing decision trees to derive a valid working diagnosis. The book addresses specific issues in diagnosing the conditions most commonly encountered in mental health practice, with a particular emphasis on how diagnosis informs effective treatment. More than 100 vivid vignettes illustrate the diagnostic process and allow readers to practice their skills.

New to This Edition:
* Revised throughout for DSM-5-TR, including the new diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder.
* Chapter on eating and sleeping disorders, including new decision trees.
* New and updated vignettes and suggested readings.

The book is organized into four main sections:
1. Introduction to Diagnostic Decision Making: This section provides an overview of the diagnostic process, including the importance of accurate diagnosis, the benefits of a comprehensive approach, and the challenges associated with diagnosing mental health conditions.
2. Evaluating Information from Multiple Sources: This section covers the various sources of information that can be used in diagnosing mental health conditions, such as clinical interviews, psychological tests, and medical records. Guidelines are provided for evaluating the reliability and validity of these sources and for integrating information from multiple sources to construct a comprehensive differential diagnosis.
3. Constructing a Wide-Ranging Differential Diagnosis: This section focuses on the process of constructing a comprehensive differential diagnosis, which involves identifying all possible diagnoses that could explain a patient's symptoms and presenting them in a logical and organized manner. Guidelines are provided for organizing and presenting differential diagnoses, including the use of decision trees and other diagnostic tools.
4. Creating a Safety Hierarchy: This section discusses the importance of creating a safety hierarchy when diagnosing mental health conditions, which involves prioritizing the most urgent and dangerous diagnoses and developing a plan for managing them. Guidelines are provided for creating a safety hierarchy, including the use of risk assessment tools and emergency protocols.

In addition to the guidelines and vignettes, the book includes a comprehensive glossary of diagnostic terms and a reference list of additional resources for further reading.

This third edition of Diagnostic Decision Making in Mental Health is an essential resource for mental health practitioners, students, and researchers. It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date approach to diagnostic decision-making, with a particular emphasis on the DSM-5-TR and the conditions most commonly encountered in mental health practice. By following the guidelines and examples provided in this book, practitioners can improve their diagnostic skills and provide more effective treatment to their patients.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781462553402
Edition number: 3 ed