Bipolar
Disorder
Due to
greater incidence of bipolar disorder, clinicians are compelled to increase
awareness in order to proficiently assess and diagnose the condition amongst
clients. Such assessments vary in regard
to adults versus children and adolescents due to the fact that youths tend to
exhibit numerous psychiatric disorders throughout child development (Jenkins, Youngstrom, Youngstrom, Feeny, & Findling,
2012). In general, “it appears
that many youths diagnosed with bipolar do not actually have the disorder,
whereas many true cases of bipolar go undiagnosed” (Jenkins et al., 2012, p.
270). Moreover, factors such as comparative
symptoms with other conditions and the timing or occurrence of the symptoms
lend bipolar disorder to go unnoticed or misdiagnosed. In effort to conduct an efficient adult
bipolar assessment, the clinician must evaluate the symptoms and probable
medical rationale for such symptoms (Miller, Johnson, & Eisner, 2009). However, the use of unstructured approaches
and observations, though commonly utilized, has proven to be ineffective. These means foster personal bias and contain
sources of error which causes several cases of bipolar disorder to go
undetected (Jenkins et
al., 2012). Hence, a
structured diagnosis is more beneficial, allowing the clinician to assess the
condition in an ordered, precise manner.
Additionally, semi-structured interviews such as Structured Clinical
Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and the Schedule for Affective Disorders
and Schizophrenia (SADS) are utilized.
These tools enable clinicians to investigate clients’ conditions and
symptoms along with potential medical or pharmacological factors which are
likely to encourage mania. Now, in
consideration of children and adolescents, an evidence-based (EB) assessment is
recommended. Although this tool is not
as clinically prevalent, it is considered accurate and consistent, may reduce
rates of over-diagnosis, and promote early detection (Miller et al.,
2009).
References:
Jenkins, M.
M., Youngstrom, E. A., Youngstrom, J., Feeny, N. C., Findling, R. L.
(2012). Generalizability
of evidence-based assessment recommendations for
pediatric bipolar disorder. Psychological Assessment, 24(2), 269-281.
Miller,
C. J., Johnson, S. L., & Eisner, L. (2009). Assessment tools for adult
bipolar
