An application of actuarial methods in psychiatric diagnosis.
An actuarial program for psychiatric diagnosis is evaluated for agreement with final clinical diagnosis in a series of 288 patients. The acturial program provides a probability differential diagnosis based on an analysis of history and background data, symptom rating profiles, and MMPI clinical scale profiles. The observed agreement with final clinical diagnosis is approximately 50% higher than previously reported for psychological testing in this same setting. The results emphasize the importance for psychologists of clinical interview and observation skills.
D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008950:MMPI; D008487:Medical History Taking; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011594:Psychometrics; D013223:Statistics as Topic