The Role of Clinical Skills in the Assessment Process

Readings

Use The Substance-Related Disorder Assessment: A Roadmap to Effective Treatment Planning to read the following:

• Chapter 1, “Introduction to Assessment,” pages 1–12.

Use the Capella Library to read the following:

• Ivey, A. E., Packard, N. G., & Ivey, M. B. (2018). Basic attending skills: Foundations of empathic relationships and problem solving (6th ed.). Microtraining Associates.
  • Chapter 7, “Integration of Skills: Structuring an Effective 5-Stage Interview,” pages 116–139.
• Nemec, P. B., Spagnolo, A. C., & Soydan, A. S. (2017). Can you hear me now? Teaching listening skills. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 40(4), 415–417.

The Role of Clinical Skills in the Assessment Process

Reflect on the readings for this unit. Discuss the importance of clinical skills in the assessment process. Choose at least three specific counseling skills that are important to the assessment process to elicit the most comprehensive information from the client.

Response Guidelines

Read the posts of other learners. Respond to at least two of your peers. Compare the counseling skills you chose to the ones chosen by your peers and pose at least one question to each of the chosen two learners regarding their choice in skills.

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

• Analyze qualification levels for administering assessment instruments.
• Apply knowledge of APA style for references and citations.
• Develop communications appropriate for the audience.

Study 2

Diagnostic Criteria of Substance-Related Disorders

Readings

Use The Substance-Related Disorder Assessment: A Roadmap to Effective Treatment Planning to read the following:

• Chapter 2, “Diagnostic Criteria of Substance-Related Disorders,” pages 13–22.

Use the Capella Library to read the following:

• Hagman, B. T. (2017). Development and psychometric analysis of the brief DSM-5 alcohol use disorder diagnostic assessment: Towards effective diagnosis in college students. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 31(7), 797–806.
• Baggio, S., Studer, J., Dupuis, M., & Gerhard, G. (2016). Subthreshold problem drinkers in DSM‐5 alcohol use disorder classification. The American Journal on Addictions, 25(5), 408–415.

Use the Internet to read the following:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Substance use disorders. https://www.samhsa.gov/disorders/substance-use

Discussion 2:

Diagnostic Criteria of Substance-Related Disorders

Review Chapter 2, “Diagnostic Criteria of Substance Related Disorders,” in your course text. For this discussion, learners will choose a case study from the resources in this unit and apply the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria to answer the following questions.

• Indicate the diagnosis of the client in the chosen case study by listing the 11 diagnostic criteria the client meets.
• What is the severity level?
• What is the client’s diagnostic code?
• Using the information in the case study, what substances does the client have a history using?

Response Guidelines

Respond to the main discussion posts of two learners. What reactions do you have to the diagnosis presented? Include examples from the course readings, scholarly literature, and practical experiences to support your perspective; raise questions to continue the discussion.

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

• Describe DSM-5 diagnoses related to addiction issues.
• Apply knowledge of APA style for references and citations.
• Develop communications appropriate for the audience.