Assessment

Substance Use Disorder

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Assessment

Planning

Termination

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Cross-Sequential Design

Tourette’s Disorder

Cyclothymic Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar I Disorder

Cyclothymic Disorder

Manic Episode

Hypomanic Episode

Intervention

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Conduct Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Enuresis (Bedwetting)

Encopresis

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)

Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED)

The purpose of a biopsychosocial assessment is to gather comprehensive information about a client’s psychological, social, and physical health to inform treatment planning.

A comprehensive assessment includes gathering information about a client’s history, strengths, challenges, and current functioning.

In an assessment, a social worker should not consider cultural and environmental factors as they are unrelated to a client’s mental health and functioning.

During an assessment, social workers must ensure that the assessment process is nonjudgmental and respects the client’s confidentiality and rights.

A mental status examination (MSE) is used to assess a client’s appearance, behavior, mood, thoughts, cognition, and insight during an evaluation.

Assessments should only focus on identifying problems and deficits, without considering the client’s strengths and resources.

In assessments for children and adolescents, the social worker must consider the developmental level and use age-appropriate techniques and tools.

In order to protect the client’s privacy, social workers should avoid documenting sensitive information in assessment reports, even when relevant.

Client strengths identified during an assessment should be integrated into the treatment plan to enhance therapeutic outcomes.

A risk assessment is conducted to evaluate potential risks to the client or others, such as suicidality, homicidality, or abuse, and is an essential part of the assessment process.

A social worker should always ensure that the client’s informed consent is obtained before conducting any assessment.

Psychological assessments are typically conducted by social workers rather than licensed psychologists.

Cultural competence during the assessment process requires social workers to adapt their tools and approach to align with the cultural context of the client.

In a comprehensive assessment, the social worker should avoid making judgments about the client’s situation until all information is gathered.

An assessment should always be conducted in a way that respects the client’s autonomy. 

The purpose of a family assessment is to understand the individual client’s behavior in isolation, without considering family dynamics.

The results of an assessment should be shared with the client, and the social worker should explain how the results will inform treatment planning.

The client’s cultural background should be considered in the assessment process, but it is unnecessary to modify assessment tools for cultural relevance.

Assessment tools and techniques should always be evidence-based and tested for reliability and validity before being used in practice.

A client’s involvement in the assessment process is crucial, and social workers should actively engage the client in the assessment rather than making decisions solely based on the collected data.

The results of an assessment should be documented in a clear, concise, and organized manner to ensure clarity and facilitate future decision-making.

Assessments should be conducted in a neutral, non-judgmental manner, allowing the client to share information freely without feeling pressured or judged.

It is acceptable for a social worker to share a client’s assessment results with a third party without the client’s consent if they believe the information is critical to the client’s treatment.