Customer Reviews

Study Guide to DSM-IV-TR (Fauman, Study Guide to Dsm-IV-Tr)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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I bought this book as a study aid to assist me in preparing for my counseling licensure exam. I own the DSM-IV-TR but found that it was difficult for me to learn with it because it was so technical. The study guide breaks the diagnoses down into simpler descriptions, gives case examples of clients with the various disorders, and provides study questions to help you evaluate your progress in learning. It goes over important definitions, key diagnostic points and how to make a differential diagnosis. Since using this to study, my confidence in making a diagnosis has increased greatly. I highly recommend this book to any clinician or graduate student.

Whether you are a graduate student, intern, novice clinician,or a veteran, you know from experience that the DSM-IV-TR is a beast of a book in terms of navigation.

Dr. Fauman has provided a cogent guide to help you tame this beast. What I find most helpful are the clinical vignettes and the way he attempts to tease out over-lapping, and/or mutually exclusive diagnoses. I am using this book (by recommendation) to review for my state's counselor license exam as I was told that this resource would provide more than adequate assistance for this purpose.

The only downside to this text is the price. APA books are just plain bloody expensive, but like anything else, you get what you pay for. The information contained in this book while a tad overpriced, will be worth it in the long-run, I feel.

A valuable resource for students and clinicians alike, Fuaman's _Study Guide to DSM-IV-TR_ brings life to the clinical diagnoses of the DSM-IV-TR. Like the DSM-IV-TR itself, the book is incredibly well-organized and predictable (great for those with Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder traits, I might add), and each chapter (which corresponds to a DSM-IV-TR section) contains the following sections:

1.Clinical Vignette(s)--interesting opening vignettes that illustrate clinical presentations for some of the diagnoses of the section
2.Core Concept of the Diagnostic Group--includes the key criteria applicable to multiple disorders of the section
3.Definitions--succinct explantations of terms used in the DSM-IV-TR
4.Synopses and Diagnostic Prototypes of the Individual Disorders--includes some more juicy vignettes to personify the individual diagnoses
5.Necessary Clinical Information--includes the information needed to be obtained during the clinical assessment in order to make a diagnosis
6.Making a Diagnosis--includes a list of hierarchical questions used to rule out or consider various individual diagnoses
7.Common Problems in Making a Diagnosis-- vignettes used to show diagnostic rationale for both clear cut and "fuzzy" cases
8.Precedence of Diagnosis--includes table which clearly delineates diagnostic hierarchies and exclusions
9.Discussion of Clinical Vignette(s)--revisits opening vignettes of chapter
10.Key Diagnostic Points--summary of salient diagnostic points for the section
11.Common Questions in Making a Diagnosis--vignettes with more challenging diagnoses

Whether you're a student new to the (potentially overwhelming) land of diagnoses or a clinician needing to brush up on diagnostic criteria (to pass a licensing exam, perhaps?), this guide is a perfect complement to the DSM-IV-TR.

The DSM-IV-TR, cumbersome but necessary, can be conquered. It seems one must dive into it, keep it with you at all times, and force your way through it. As large and clumsily presented as it is, it eventually grows on you and becomes a part of your core understanding.

I enjoyed Dr. Fauman's Study Guide from the first page. I really applaud Dr. Fauman for creating what surely must be the best DSM study guide. This book is full of wonderfully enjoyable clinical vignettes, case discussions, and brilliantly presented tables. I am a visually oriented learner and these visual elements, presented at just the right frequency, reinforced my understanding of the material.

Dr. Fauman also includes sections on "core concepts" of diagnostic groups thus creating yet another logical and thematic learning method.
I also enjoyed the self assessments. They prepared me for clinical team meetings, and also for more casual (but no less important) discussions with my diverse, passionate, and opinionated group of clinical colleagues.

The author presents answers to common problems the reader will likely encounter when struggling with a diagnosis. It's clear he is not only a master of the material, but knows how to present the information in an enjoyable and effective manner. Although the diagnostic class for which I purchased this book is finished, I still carry it around and look forward to spare moments during which I read from it. I hope Dr. Fauman authors a study guide for the DSM-V when it is published.

I am currently in a master's program and I love this book. I plan to keep it for my personal practice. It is a great over view to the DSM-IV-TR. It is written in professional language, but it is easy to understand. It also gives some great case studies on how disorders are determined. I think it will be a great reference point that I will refer to time and time again.

Finding the book to be very useful as I prepare for my LCSW vignette exams. 4 stars / Thumbs up! Mike Danner

I picked this book up because I felt weak about taking the case analysis part of my comps. What a great book! My background is in addictions and, prior to reading this book, I wasn't confident about my ability assess other disorders. This text is comprehensive but accessible for students. His pithy differential vignettes provide practical insight into the spectrum of disorders. LOL the author should probably reward me with a gift certificate or some thing because, at least at my university, I'm sure his saies are going to soar. I wish I had had this book assigned during my Diagnosis class and not found it on my own at the tail end of my Masters.

This is a must have for anyone who needs to get to know the details of the categorical approach and the ins and outs of the diagnostic criteria

It would be best to get this early in one's education, perfect for 1st year grad students, but of course it is also going to help prepare for all types of exams

I just hope the author is going to write another guide for the new DSM shortly after it is released, becuase we'll have a brand new beast to tame then

I have a class that required this for a text, but beyond that, it's been pretty useful in correlation with the DSM-IV-TR. My item came in great condition.

The study guide is brief yet effective in discerning between the diagnostic criteria. The text is very helpful to learn to use the DSM IV TR with the use of vignettes, descriptions of the different diagnosis and examples how a case would be diagnosed. I like the organization and ease of reference, fluid writing and to the point explanations. It lacks superfluous information as details can be read in the DSM IV TR itself. In short, to the student the study guide is particularly helpful, but from experience in the field, would recommend this book be available in offices with mental health professionals as there can easily be misunderstandings on how to code for a diagnosis and the book would be excellent to reference to.