Use of rating scales is helpful in the process of assessment and being professio

Question

Use of rating scales is helpful in the process of assessment and being professionally responsible in their use is critical. In your textbook reading there is a list of standardized rating scales for areas such as depression, anxiety, family, and eating disorders, etc. Select one scale, and research the scale. Review it and discuss the following:

1. Identify the scale reviewed. Provide a brief background about the scale. Is this self-rated or provider rated?

2. Do you feel it is easy or difficult to use? Why?

3. How objective or subjective is this scale? What is your rationale?

4. What do you think the information obtained tells you about a client?

5. How useful is this information in care planning?

6. What are two professional guidelines that must be followed when using assessment tools such as these rating scales?

Explanation / Answer

1.Hamilton Depression rating scale is used to determine a patients level of depression.It lists 21 items and the score is based on 17 items.0-7 is normal,8-13 is mild depression,14-18-Moderate depression,19-22 severe depression,greater than 23 very severe depression.It was first published by Max Hamilton.It is rated by a clinician .it has been the standard of asessment of depression for more than 40 years.

2 it is easy ,as the questions are quite straightforward.The assessment time is 20 minutes and the assessment is usually done with scores obtained from questionaire.But there are mixed feelings for the scale as it places more importance on insomnia than on depressive thoughts.Shorten version of scale converge on a common set of core features and proven effective in detecting change.

4 The scale is a questionaire which is designed for adults and helps in assessing the severity of depression by looking into various factors such as suicideal ideation,insomnia,agitation,weight loss and somatic symptoms.

5 Hamilton depressed scales clearly differentiated three categories ,with the depressed patients scoring high than the healthy participants and with the bipolar depressed patients scoring higher than that both of the other groups.

6 This scale should be used for diagnostic purpose only and must be administered by a clinician experienced in working with psychiatric patients.

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