Issues in Mental Health Assessment

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the evolution and current state of community-based mental health assessment. A brief history of mental health assessment in the community and the challenges that led to four key generations of instrument development are described. Recent advances in mental health assessment—including the integration of dimensional instruments into the forthcoming versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and International Classification of Disease diagnostic manuals and the ongoing creation of item banks based on item response theory for specific disorders—are highlighted. Two main types of mental health assessment instruments, diagnostic and dimensional, are described in detail and examples of commonly used instruments of both types are presented along with source information. Practical issues in mental health assessment including sampling considerations and instrument selection and administration are discussed. Ongoing controversies and future directions for the field are described.