Psychological Report Writing Assistant by Gary Groth-Marnat & Ari Davis

Author:Gary Groth-Marnat & Ari Davis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Published: 2013-09-17T16:00:00+00:00

Although the answers to these question are directed toward the client, much of the information can be extracted, edited, and incorporated into a psychological report. For example, the question “What problems do I have, and which should be treated first?” becomes “What problems do they have, and which should be treated first?” and so forth.

Research on STS/Innerlife indicates that, if psychotherapy is to be optimized, the greatest payoff is to assess and take in to consideration the domains listed in Table 4.2 (see also Beutler, 2009; Groth-Marnat et al., 2001). A report Impressions and Interpretations section might even be formatted to include subheadings that would expand on these domains. More typically, they might be listed under a single heading such as “client characteristics for treatment planning” or merely be referred to in the Summary and/or Recommendations sections (“Ms. Smith’s high level of resistance suggests that she would benefit from a collaborative, nondirective approach.”). Table 4.2 also indicates the treatment implications given relevant client characteristics. For example, a client with an externalizing coping style would be most likely to benefit from a behavioral, symptom-oriented approach (and treatment efforts may even deteriorate if internal, insight-oriented approaches are used; Beutler, Harwood, Kimpara, Verdirame, & Blau, 2011).

TABLE 4.2 SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT SELECTION/INNERLIFE: CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT IMPLICATIONS

Adapted from Groth-Marnat (2009a).

Client Characteristic Treatment Consideration

Functional impairment Restrictiveness (inpatient/outpatient)

Intensity (duration and frequency)

Medical vs. psychosocial interventions

Prognosis

Urgency of achieving goals

Social support Cognitive behavioral vs. relationship enhancement

Duration of treatment

Psychosocial intervention vs. medication

Possible group interventions

Problem complexity/chronicity Narrow symptom-oriented vs. internal insight-oriented

Coping style (internal vs. external) Behavioral symptom-oriented vs. internal insight-oriented interventions

Resistance Supportive, nondirective, or paradoxical vs. structured, directive interventions

Subjective distress Increase/decrease arousal

Stages of change Exploration and awareness vs. overt behavioral or interpersonal change

The PRWA program includes an abbreviated version of Systematic Treatment Selection/Innerlife. The STS icon appears just to the right of the recommendations icon when users click onto the Recommendations section. Based on all sources of assessment information, the report writer is asked to rate the client on each of the seven client characteristics. This means that users should already be familiar with what these characteristics are and how to assess them (see details in the treatment planning chapter of the Handbook of Psychological Assessment, 5th ed.; Groth-Marnat, 2009a). Treatment recommendations emerge when the client is rated either high or low on one or more of the characteristics. For example, a high rating on the client’s level of subjective (motivational) distress would result in a treatment recommendation that reads, “In order to reduce Ms. Jones’ level of distress enough for her to be fully involved in therapy, she would need to benefit from one or more of the following techniques: progressive muscle relaxation, aerobic exercise, meditation, emotional ‘venting,’ reassurance, emotional support, time management, or thought stopping.” In cases when all or most of the client characteristics are rated in the average range, few clear recommendations will emerge. In contrast, a series of high, or in some cases low, ratings would result in a number of clear, strong recommendations.

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