Straight from the horse's mouth: Increasing self‐report in mental health assessment in individuals with intellectual disability

There is little published information about the measures that probation agencies in the United States use to identify individuals with mental illnesses who are under community supervision. This study used statewide administrative data to estimate and compare the prevalence of mental illnesses among probationers using officer report and offender self-report data. Prevalence estimates of mental illnesses ranged from 15 percent to 19 percent, which is consistent with prior studies that used formal diagnostic assessments. In the absence of costly and time-consuming diagnostic assessments, probation agency-developed mental health scales can aid in identifying those who might be in need of additional mental health assessment.

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Mobile technology for mental health assessment

Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience ◽

10.31887/dcns.2016.18.2/parean ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 163-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mobile Technology ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Clinical Decision ◽

Self Report ◽

Traditional Assessment ◽

Mental Health Assessment ◽

Outcome Monitoring

Assessment and outcome monitoring are critical for the effective detection and treatment of mental illness. Traditional methods of capturing social, functional, and behavioral data are limited to the information that patients report back to their health care provider at selected points in time. As a result, these data are not accurate accounts of day-to-day functioning, as they are often influenced by biases in self-report. Mobile technology (mobile applications on smartphones, activity bracelets) has the potential to overcome such problems with traditional assessment and provide information about patient symptoms, behavior, and functioning in real time. Although the use of sensors and apps are widespread, several questions remain in the field regarding the reliability of off-the-shelf apps and sensors, use of these tools by consumers, and provider use of these data in clinical decision-making.

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Reliability and Construct Validity of a Child Self-Report Instrument

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000166 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 40-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rowella C. W. M. Kuijpers ◽

Roy Otten ◽

Ad A. Vermulst ◽

Rutger C. M. E. Engels

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

High Reliability ◽

Age Groups ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Self Report ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Mental Health Assessment ◽

Dsm Iv

Both clinicians and researchers agree on the value of self-report in child mental health assessment. The pictorial format of the computerized Dominic Interactive is an addition to the existing questionnaires, specifically concerning young children. Although prior studies on the Dominic Interactive reported favorable psychometric properties, the reliability was not always satisfactory for every scale, and no studies confirmed the proposed DSM-IV factor structure of the Dominic Interactive. This study examines these two psychometric aspects using a sample of 1,504 Dutch primary-school children aged 6–13 years. α was computed and compared with ω, an alternative index of reliability. CFA was conducted as was the measurement invariance at a configural, scalar, and metric level across both age and sex. The results showed that ω values were above .80, indicating good to high reliability for all scales. The DSM-IV factor structure was confirmed and proved to be identical across age groups and among both boys and girls in this sample. These findings lay the foundation for the meaningful use of the norms needed in clinical practice. They also contribute to the increasing value of the Dominic Interactive as a self-report instrument in child mental health screening.

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Best Practice Principles When Working With Individuals With Intellectual Disability and Comorbid Mental Health Concerns

Qualitative Health Research ◽

10.1177/1049732319858326 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 560-571 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joyce Man ◽

Maria Kangas

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intellectual Disability ◽

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Best Practice ◽

Evidence Based Practice ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Mental Health Assessment ◽

Complex Process

Working with individuals with dual disabilities can be a complex process in the presence of limited evidence base to guide clinical practice. The aims of this qualitative study were to investigate perceptions of best practices of Australian psychologists who work with this specialist population. Thirty-eight Australian psychologists working in the intellectual disability field participated in eight semistructured focus groups. Perceptions of evidence-based practice for individuals with intellectual disabilities and in relation to mental health assessment were explored. Psychologists demonstrated resourcefulness in adapting to limits in available evidence-based practice and in modifying mainstream practice to suit the needs of individuals with dual disabilities. Findings suggest the necessity of practice-based evidence in contributing to the evidence base, and person-centered approaches in relation to best practice for people with intellectual disabilities. Implications for strengthening psychologists’ clinical competency and bridging the research and practice gap are discussed.

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