Diagnostic Interviewing

A cornerstone of the professional relationship and a vital prerequisite to treatment, the diagnostic interview sets the tone for the therapy to come. It can also be a source of anxiety for beginning practitioners—and even for established ones working in new settings or with unfamiliar populations.

This Fourth Edition of Diagnostic Interviewing breaks down the interview process over a wide range of clients and problems, creating a straightforward practical guide for beginning clinicians and an invaluable source of information for more seasoned therapists. Completely revised and updated to reflect diagnostic standards according to the DSM-IV-TR and the latest innovations in theory and practice, the book offers a wealth of useful interviewing approaches and techniques, and emphasizes the individuality of each client. The format of the earlier editions has been retained, with descriptions of the disorders, case illustrations, recommendations for assessment, standardized interviewformats, discussion of sociocultural considerations, and other pertinent information. Readers will be able to approach the clinical art as well as the science of clinical and diagnostic interviewing with enhanced skills and confidence.

Highlights of the coverage: Interviewing strategies, rapport building, and the role of empathy, the mental status examination, consideration of neuropsychological factors in interviewing, dealing with interviewee defenses and defensiveness, specific disorders, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, PTSD, and schizophrenia, special populations, including marital dyads, abused children, couples, and older adults.

As with its predecessors, this book is a trusted resource for all psychologists, psychiatrists, and other practitioners using the interviewing process in diagnosing clients. Additionally, Diagnostic Interviewing, Fourth Edition, also serves as a bedrock text for the instructor and the student.

Michel Hersen, Ph.D., ABPP, is Professor and Dean of the School of Professional Psychology at Pacific University He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the American Board of Medical Psychotherapists and Psychodiagnosticians, and holds a Diplomate from the American Board of Behavioral Psychology. He is past president of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy. He has written many books and papers, and is the editor of Clinical Case Studies, Clinical Psychology Review, Behavior Modification, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal, Journal of Family Violence, and The Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. Hersen’s research interests include the assessment and treatment of older adults, single case research, and administration.     

Daniel L. Segal received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from theUniversity of Miami in 1992 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical geropsychology at Nova Southeastern University. He is a Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Psychology Department at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), having joined the faculty in 1995. His research interests include diagnostic and assessment issues in clinical psychology and clinical geropsychology, suicide prevention and aging, and the expression and impact of personality disorders across the lifespan. He has published over 80 journal articles and book chapters on these topics. His book (with co-authors Frederick L. Coolidge and Erlene Rosowsky) on Personality Disorders and Older Adults: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment was published in 2006. He has also edited two volumes in major reference works: One volume focused on personality assessment (in the Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment, 2004) and the other examined personality and everyday functioning (in the Comprehensive Handbook of Personality and Psychopathology, 2006). He serves on the editorial boards of two journals (Behavior Modification; Clinical Case Studies), is an Associate Editor for the Clinical Gerontologist, and is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. He received the Outstanding Teacher award from the UCCS College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2002 and from the UCCS Campus in 2006. Outside of his professional hours, he can be found playing tennis and golf, and enjoying the company of his wife, daughter, and three cats.