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8 - Psychological Assessment as Treatment

Collaborative/Therapeutic Assessment

from Part I - General Issues in Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2019

By
E. Hale Martin
Edited by
Martin Sellbom  and
Julie A. Suhr
Martin Sellbom
Affiliation:
University of Otago, New Zealand
Julie A. Suhr
Affiliation:
Ohio University
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Summary

Collaborative/therapeutic assessment (C/TA) adds value to psychological assessment by enhancing the therapeutic effects assessment can have. This chapter tracks the influences and research that have guided the evolution of assessment into C/TA and therapeutic assessment (TA), which is a semi-structured C/TA designed to maximize therapeutic effects. It describes the steps and techniques of TA, including developing the client’s questions for an assessment to address, extended inquiry, assessment intervention sessions, and summary discussion sessions. It then explores the empirical foundation that supports the efficacy of C/TA and TA. The added value that TA offers is outlined, including its contribution to working with clients struggling with personality disorders and issues involving epistemic hypervigilance. Finally, discussion of future research that could further TA as an effective consultation technique and as a stand-alone therapeutic intervention itself is considered.

Keywords

psychological assessmentcollaborative/therapeutic assessmenttherapeutic assessmentextended inquiryassessment intervention sessionstherapeutic storyaltering life narrativesepistemic trust
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis , pp. 90 - 100
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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