Customer Reviews

The First Interview: Revised for DSM-IV

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The First Interview : Revised for DSM-IV, by J. Morrison is a detailed and forthright tool for obtaining critical information from the client during the first session, while maintaining the clinician's ability to develop trust and rapport with the client. The use of vignettes offers the reader opportunity to visualize how the book's message might be utilized with clients. I have found this book to be of particular benefit to new interns, and to those who are working in government funded facilities, as it provides instruction for gaining the information required for developing an accurate diagnosis and creating an assessment plan such as are required for Medical clients. It is also a good review for clinicians regarding such issues as formulating effective questions and dealing with resistance. I suggest reading the book before one begins seeing clients face-to-face, as it will help to prevent the beginning clinician from developing poor clinical skills.

Morrison's approach to providing information and direction for the first interview is clear, detailed, informative, and right on the mark. As a first year social work student I wish that I had been able to read this book before I started my field placement. He takes you step by step through the process of the first interview--what to expect, what to do, how to handle different situations. Again, he is right on the mark. What makes this book such a great resource is that Morrison presents the material in a clear and concise manner. This is the type of book that you will open again and again as a reference and a refresher as you progress in your practice. Whether you are working with kids or the elderly, I highly recommend buying this book if you are thinking about going into social work, are a social work student or a practicioner.

A wonderful book! I have an MA in Psychology (and a PhD in an unrelated field) and have been working in emergency psychiatric evaluations for two years now. This is the one most helpful book that I have found on the question: How do I talk to a person for one hour and know what's going on with them psychiatrically?

What I like about it:
a) It guides you through the phases of an interview: opening; developing rapport; finding out the client's/patient's chief concern; enquiring about necessary background information, such as psychiatric, social, medical history; current mental status; closure. In what order to cover these topics, which questions to ask, how to ask them, how to pace the interview.
b) It fills you in on the main diagnostic signs and symptoms of the major psychiatric disorders. (If you know them already, it is a great refresher.)
c) There is a chapter about how to write the diagnosis, such as "diagnostic hierarchies" in case of more than one applicable diagnosis or when there is a number of possible diagnoses you are not sure about. [This will also help you read other people's diagnosis better.] Then a chapter about recommendations and prognoses.
d) Two chapters are about dealing with resistance and in other ways difficult clients.
e) It is written for a student who learns to do psychiatric interviewing. [The title, "The first interview" is indeed a double entendre, referring to the first interview of a patient/client *and* to your, the reader's, first interview(s).] Thus, it talks about the interviewer's problem with himself/herself, one's own insecurities, feelings, shame, and the techniques available to manage the interviewing relationship itself (such as, e.g., keeping boundaries without appearing callous).

The book ends with a list of the most important DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, a sample interview, and a sample written report. It has an annotated bibliography (i.e. a list of books with comments that the author recommends for further reading) and and index.

The best I saved for last: This author can write well! It is obvious that he likes his students (in this case you, the reader) and his patients. The author has humor that is never denigrating. This attitude is contageous, it warmed my heart and helped me like my patients. Thus, the book is a pleasure to read. Never dry. In my case, the question was not if I *had* to read the next chapter, but *when* I would have the time to do so. And all this not in a book about feel-good, "it's good that we talked about it" psychotherapy, but in a book covering a chapter in the field of "hard core" psychiatry.

Enjoy!

this book is very well-organized and easy to read. it is comprehensive and thoroughly addresses all the possible components to an intake interview that one could imagine! sections of particular interest to me were how to address sensitive subjects and how to get patients to get in touch with feelings (people are often too much in their heads), mental status exam aspects, signs and symptoms, and dealing with difficult patients (lying, hostility, etc.). also useful was information on presenting findings once all the data gathering is done. great resource for students just getting started in the field of behavioral health, as well as medical students assessing potential psychological aspects to a patient's presentation and the need for a referral to a behavioral health practitioner. also helpful when creating documents, such as during the transition to private practice or an administrative position responsible for organization of information/compliance with professional evaluation standards, especially with increasing pressure from accrediting agencies....in other words, a great resource for ALL clinicians!

I purchased this book for a psychology class and I found it easy to read and easy to implement the suggestions offered within the book.

This book is a WONDERFUL reference for doing interviews in a school, psychological or professional setting. This book gives examples of how to give a detailed interview, how to ask difficult questions, how to approach clients. I will be using this book for years to come. It was made to accompany the DSM-IV, but even if you don't use the DSM, this book will definitely give you insight as to how to ask inquiries of your client. I use this book constantly, as an M.A. counseling student, and I know that I will be using it in the future as well.

If you have any doubts on how to conduct an interview, this is the book to get. I guarantee that you will find this book invaluable.

As a student, this book is great for using when studying how to interview and work in the DSM IV. Lots of valuable information and great reference charts. Worth is to have on hand.