A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation may be necessary to diagnose emotional, behavioral, or developmental disorders. An evaluation of a child, adolescent, adult, or aging adult is made based on behaviors present and in relation to physical, genetic, environmental, social, cognitive (thinking), emotional, and educational parts that may be affected as a result of these behaviors.
While each psychiatric evaluation is unique—reflecting the individual’s specific symptoms and behaviors—there are common elements that may be included in the one-hour interview.
- Describing your behaviors, how long they last, and what triggers them
- Describing your symptoms, including both physical and mental health concerns
- Describing how the behaviors or symptoms affect work, school, and relationships
- Providing your personal and family health and mental health history
- Completing a health history, including a description of your overall physical health, list of any other illnesses or conditions present, and any current treatments
- Ordering lab tests if necessary, to help identify any underlying medical, emotional, or cognitive conditions. These tests may include:
Blood tests, including functional testing with inflammatory markers
Educational assessments
Psychological assessments, such as CNS Vital Signs (CNS-VS)
Genetic testing