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Psychopathology: Rating Scales for the Assessment of Mental Status

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NeuroPsychopharmacotherapy

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Abstract

In the context of psychopharmacotherapy, diagnostic instruments have always played a prominent role, in order either to assist the classification of a patient or to measure the degree of severity of psychopathological syndromes at a given stage as well as during the course of the disorder. In both these cases, but also in connection with other clinical areas, rating scales and diagnostic interviews are the instruments most frequently applied. A rating scale is generally understood to be an assessment scale. A distinction is made between self- and observer-rating scales. A self-rating scale is a procedure where the entire assessment process lies in the hands of the patient. By contrast, with an observer-rating scale the assessment process is conducted by independent examiners who include their own (or those of third parties) as well as the patient’s observations in their final assessment. Rating scales serve above all to record the severity of the psychopathology and side effects. In studies, especially observer-rating scales are the most important outcome criteria. However, the use of interviews and rating scales requires a comprehensive training.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emeritus (Klinische Psychologie und Psychiatrie) Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Basel, Switzerland

    Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz

  2. Krankenhaus für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatische Medizin Schloss Werneck, Werneck, Germany

    Hans-Peter Volz

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  1. Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz
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  2. Hans-Peter Volz
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Correspondence to Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany

    Peter Riederer

  2. Institute of Psychological Medicine (IPM), Soyen, Germany

    Gerd Laux

  3. Centre for Research Promotion and Support, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan

    Toshiharu Nagatsu

  4. Center Translational Res Neurol Diseases, Dalian Med Uni Shanghai Inst Health Sc Center Translational Res Neurol Diseases, Dalian, China

    Weidong Le

  5. Würzburg, Germany

    Christian Riederer

Section Editor information

  1. University Hospital, Center for Mental Health, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany

    Peter Riederer

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Stieglitz, RD., Volz, HP. (2022). Psychopathology: Rating Scales for the Assessment of Mental Status. In: Riederer, P., Laux, G., Nagatsu, T., Le, W., Riederer, C. (eds) NeuroPsychopharmacotherapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62059-2_5

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