HPC 6280 Assessment and Diagnosis in Marriage and Family Therapy
Spring 2008
9:30am-12:20pm Thursdays
E. Duncan 225
Instructor Karen L. Caldwell, Ph.D.
Office Phone 262-6045
Office hours: By appointment
309D E. Duncan Hall
e-mail: caldwllkl@appstate.edu
Course Description
A seminar designed to provide a background in diagnosis and assessment including
skills necessary to conduct a relational assessment interview, as well as the development
of assessment skills through the use of family sculpture, family genogram, role play, and
exercises.
Course Goals & Objectives
1. Students will be introduced to the basics of assessment and diagnosis from a
systemic/relational framework.
2. Students will understand the theoretical concepts related to individual and
systemic assessment and diagnostic instruments that pertain to mental health
and relational functioning
3. Students will understand, from a relational/systemic perspective, traditional
psychodiagnostic categories and procedures, and the assessment and treatment
of major mental health issues including the treatment options through
psychopharmacology. Issues related to work with developmentally disabled
individuals will be addressed in the service-learning component of the course.
4. Students will be introduced to the use of a variety of assessment methods and
instruments and become familiar with issues relating to the use of standardized
assessment instruments.
5. Students will understand the limitations of the extant models of assessment and
diagnosis, especially as they relate to different cultural and ethnic groups.
Competencies in Assessment and Diagnosis: The following core competencies in
Assessment and Diagnosis in MFT have been identified by the Commission on the
Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy. This course is designed to begin developing
competencies in the following areas:
Understand principles of human development; human sexuality; gender development;
psychopathology; psychopharmacology; couple processes; and family development and processes
(e.g., family, relational, and system dynamics).
Understand the major behavioral health disorders, including the epidemiology, etiology,
phenomenology, effective treatments, course, and prognosis.
Understand the clinical needs and implications of persons with comorbid disorders (e.g.,
substance abuse and mental health; heart disease and depression).
Comprehend individual, marital, couple and family assessment instruments appropriate to
presenting problem, practice setting, and cultural context.
Understand the current models for assessment and diagnosis of mental health disorders,
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substance use disorders, and relational functioning.
Understand the strengths and limitations of the models of assessment and diagnosis, especially
as they relate to different cultural, economic, and ethnic groups.
Understand the concepts of reliability and validity, their relationship to assessment instruments,
and how they influence therapeutic decision making.
Assess each clients’ engagement in the change process.
Systematically integrate client reports, observations of client behaviors, client relationship
patterns, reports from other professionals, results from testing procedures, and interactions
with client to guide the assessment process.
Develop hypotheses regarding relationship patterns, their bearing on the presenting problem,
and the influence of extra-therapeutic factors on client systems.
Consider the influence of treatment on extra-therapeutic relationships.
Consider physical/organic problems that can cause or exacerbate emotional/interpersonal
symptoms.
Diagnose and assess client behavioral and relational health problems systemically and
contextually.
Provide assessments and deliver developmentally appropriate services to clients, such as
children, adolescents, elders, and persons with special needs.
Apply effective and systemic interviewing techniques and strategies.
Administer and interpret results of assessment instruments.
Screen and develop adequate safety plans for substance abuse, child and elder maltreatment,
domestic violence, physical violence, suicide potential, and dangerousness to self and others.
Assess family history and dynamics using a genogram or other assessment instruments.
Elicit a relevant and accurate biopsychosocial history to understand the context of the clients’
problems.
Identify clients’ strengths, resilience, and resources.
Elucidate presenting problem from the perspective of each member of the therapeutic system.
Evaluate assessment methods for relevance to clients’ needs.
Assess ability to view issues and therapeutic processes systemically.
Evaluate the accuracy and cultural relevance of behavioral health and relational diagnoses.
Assess the therapist-client agreement of therapeutic goals and diagnosis.
Utilize consultation and supervision effectively.
Course Requirements
1. Attendance and Participation (20% of final grade)
Students are expected to be prepared for classes by being up-to-date with
assigned readings. Students will take turns being the ”Reporter”. The Reporter prepares
a 2-3 page, typewritten summary of the article/chapter which will serve as an informal
document designed to facilitate the group’s discussion of the reading. The question the
Reporter is responding to is, “What did the author say?” Ninety percent of the response
should be devoted to the author’s main points (either summarize or “lift” the author’s
sentences or paragraphs), and 10 percent is devoted to “My reactions.” Here the
Reporter provides his or her editorial opinions, reactions, etc. The Reporter brings
copies of his/her written summary to class for everyone in the class. The reporter then
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starts the discussion of the reading with his/her summary and others respond to the
question, “What reactions or comments do you wish to make concerning this article?”
Class attendance and meaningful participation in the class are essential. It is
often impossible to "redo" missed class time because of the interactional nature of the
class. There is a 1-absence maximum, including excused absences. Your grade will be
reduced for absences beyond the maximum. Chronic lateness is rude and evidence of
lack of readiness for professional practice. Please be on time.
2. Psychosocial history/substance abuse assessment (20% of final grade) Due date:
2-14
Students will make a 15-minute video of an intake interview conducting a substance
abuse assessment/psychosocial history interview role-play. The student will present the
video to their peers for feedback and the written report to the instructor.
4. Sculpture or Assessment Instrument Interpretation videotape (20% of final
grade) Due date 4-10
Students will videotape themselves leading a volunteer family or group in a series of
sculpture exercises. The students will then present the video to their peers and turn in
to the instructor a written treatment plan that outlines your focus in the session and
anticipates on-going work with the family.
OR
Students will find a standardized assessment instrument and complete an assessment of
volunteer clients. Students will videotape interpreting the results of the assessment to
their clients. Turn in to the instructor a written treatment plan that outlines your focus
in the session and anticipates on-going work with the client.
5. Final exam, multiple-choice/essay (40% of final grade) Due 5-5
Practice quizzes are available on Moodle for each Content area. These quizzes are on
the basic ideas in the reading assignments for a class, and are intended to help you learn
the material. You may take a quiz as many times as you wish, but the quizzes will NOT
be available after LAST day of class.
Tentative Course Schedule (Moodle Content Module Titles in Italics)
Date
Class 1
1-17-08
Class 2
1-24-08
Topics
Intro to course, issues in systemic/relational assessment
Benson, Long, & Sporakowski, M. J. (1992)
Bartlett (2002)
Denton (2002)
Intro to taking a Psychosocial history
Interviewing and observational skills in a family interview
Using DSMIV in a Systemic/Relational Framework
DSM-IV-TR, pp. xxiii-37.
Reader: ____________________________
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Wynne, Watson, & Shields (2002)
Reader: ____________________________
Alarcon (1995)
Reader: ____________________________
Class 3
1-31-08
DSM in Systems Framework- Quiz 1
Mental Status Examinations and
Assessing for Substance Abuse
Polanski & Hinkle (2000)
Reader: ____________________________
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 191-295
Coombs, Chapter 20 “Alcohol and other drug dependencies”
Class 4
2-7-08
Class 5
2-14-08
Class 6
2-21-08
Class 7
2-28-08
Reader: ____________________________
See assessment instruments on Moodle specific to screening for
alcohol/substance abuse problems.
Mental Status Exams – Quiz 2
Introduction to Psychopharmacology
Collaboration with Prescribing Professionals
Ingersoll & Rak, pp. 16-51
Reader (ch.3 pp. 38-51):________________________
Intro to Psychopharmacology – Quiz 3
Intake video presentations
Assessment Instrument Review, Reliability, Validity,
The example of PREPARE/ENRICH
Moodle reading titled: Assessment Instrument Review
Assessing for mood disorders in family members
The role of MFT in assessing the appropriateness of
hospitalization
Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan (1995)
Reader: ____________________________
Ingersoll & Rak, pp. 79-105, 164-192
Reader (ch. 5): _______________________
Class 8
3-6-08
Reader (ch. 8): _______________________
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 345-428
Mood Disorders – Quiz 4
Marriage and family therapy treatment plans
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Clinical Reasoning
Jongsma & Peterson (2003)
Coombs, Chapter 8 “Assessment, diagnoses, and treatment planning”
Reader: ____________________________
3-13-07
NO CLASS – UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY
Class 9
3-20-08
Developmentally appropriate assessments for children and
adolescents
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 39-134
Coombs, Chapter 16 “Behavioral and relationship problems”
Reader: ____________________________
Ingersoll & Rak, pp. 193-222
Reader: _____________________________
Class 10
3-27-08
Moodle reading summaries from Garbarino – “What children can tell
us”
Assessing Children – Quiz 5
Assessing for eating disorders in family members
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 583-595.
Reader: ____________________________
Assessing for personality disorders in family members
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 685-730
4-3-08
Reader: ____________________________
Eating Disorders – Quiz 6
NO CLASS
Class 11
4-10-08
Class 12
4-17-08
Family sculpting or assessment interpretation video presentations
Duhl, Kantor, & Duhl (1973)
Assessing for anxiety disorders in family members
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 429-484
Reader: ____________________________
Ingersoll & Rak, pp. 106-133
Reader: ____________________________
Wehrenberg on anxiety-management techniques
Anxiety Disorders – Quiz 7
6
Class 13
4-24-08
5-5-08
Schizophrenia and psychosis
DSM-IV-TR, pp. 297-344
Reader: ____________________________
Ingersoll & Rak, pp. 134-163
Reader: ____________________________
Review and closing activities
Final Exam due
Weather Policy
In the event of inclement weather, class may be held via nonsynchronous Internet
conversations using Moodle’s forum function. A telephone tree will attempt to notify
students of this change and email notification will also be sent unless there is an
electrical outage.
Reading

Required Texts:
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorder, Fourth edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric
Association.
Jongsma, A. E., & Peterson, L. M. (2006). The complete adult psychotherapy treatment
planner. 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Ingersoll, R. E., & Rak, C. F. (2006). Psychopharmacology for helping professionals: An
integral exploration. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Coombs, R. H. (Ed.) (2005). Family therapy review: Preparing for comprehensive and
licensing examinations. Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Material available through library reserves and on Moodle content pages.
Alarcon, R. D. (1995). Culture and psychiatric diagnosis: Impact on DSM-IV and ICD10. Cultural Psychiatry, 18(3), 449-465.
Bartlett, C. V. (2002, May/June). The politics of identity: Thoughts on the future of the
medical model and family therapy. Family Therapy Magazine, 1(3), 10-17.
Benson, M. J., Long, J. K., & Sporakowski, M. J. (1992). Teaching psychopathology and
the DSM-III-R from a family systems therapy perspective. Family Relations, 41,
135-140.
Denton, W. (2002, May/June). Relational diagnosis and the DSM. Family Therapy
Magazine, 1(3), 18-19.
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Duhl, F. J., Kantor, D., & Duhl, B. S. (1973). Learning, space and action in family
therapy: A primer of sculpture. In Bloch (Ed.). Techniques of family psychotherapy:
A primer. Grunne & Stratton.
Garbarino, J. (1989). What children can tell us: Eliciting, interpreting, and evaluating
information from children. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Lopez, S., & Hernandez, P. (1987). When culture is considered in the evaluation and
treatment of Hispanic patients. Psychotherapy, 24(1), 120-126.
Patterson, J., Williams, L., Grauf-Grounds, C., & Chamow, L. (1998). Developing a
treatment focus (pp. 69-96). In Essential skills in family therapy. NY: Guilford.
Polanski, P., & Hinkle, J. S. (2000). The mental status examination. It's use by
professional counselors. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78(3), 357-364.
Roth, A., & Fonagy, P. (1996). What works for whom?: A critical review of psychotherapy
research. NY: Guilford Press.
Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (1995). Intake interviewing with
suicidal patients: A systematic approach. Professional Psychology: Research and
Practice, 26(1), 41-47.
Spitzer, R. L., Gibbon, M., Skodol, A. E., Williams, J. B. W., & First, M. B. (2002).
DSM-IV-TR casebook: A learning companion to the diagnostic and statistical manual
of mental disorders, fourth edition, text revision. Washington, DC: American
Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
Wehrenberg, M. (Sept/Oct, 2005). Anxiety-management techniques. Psychotherapy
Networker, 47-49, 56-59, 70.
Wynne, L, Watson, B., & Shields, C. (2002, May/June). A conversation with Dr. Lyman
Wynne: The role of diagnosis in family therapy. Family Therapy Magazine, 1(3),
20-25.
Grading Scale
100 to 94 points A
93 to 91
A90 to 88
B+
87 to 85
B
84 to 82
B81 to 79
C+
78 to 75
C
74 to 71
C70 and below F