Mental health questionnaires?

[Teasel]

Wondering if there are general mental health questionnaires anywhere which help you flag up various issues to look at. Not just PTSD but any mental health issues like eating disorders or habits like procrastination. But a general one that covers a lot of bases?

Guessing prolly not.

Spose I've got the feeling of not being able to see the woods for the trees / or else am suffering from lack of interaction with others that helps you see yourself in reflection.

Would like to do a kinda summary of issues, look clearly at them, read up on em and what I can do about em kind of thing.

Any help much appreciated. :)

 

[Friday]

Yep. There’s several, actually.

They’re about 500+ questions, rarely taken singly (most clinicians use a few different ones, and results are collated) and require a trained clinician to both evaluate the tests and interview you afterward, before the results can be determined.

(Because, say, you work in medicine or have a kid with cancer or have spent the last year in hospital recovering from a motorcycle accident... your awareness of your physical health & the health of those around you... is going to be a lot higher -in most cases- than the general populace. Without a very good reason to have that awareness it’s going to throw up several flags for a few different disorders. With the background in medicine, however, it normalizes most responders. But not all. Because you will have med pros/ canacer parents/ accident victims with the anxiety, hypervigilance, phobias, trauma and stressor disorders, etc. that those questions are probing for. >>> The moderator reweights the flagged questions in relation to the interview answers.)

One of the fascinating things about these tests is that they not only test for lying (the ways they do it are super fun, some obvious some incrediably sneaky), but also mood/perception (like if someone is trying to sound good vs determinedly cheerful, or the reverse someone is trying to sound worse than they are, or is suffering from a negative outlook).... that those -and others- are variants never fails to blow my mind. A few of the better ones can even test for hyperliteralism. Because someone trying to sound better than they are may answer a certain percentage one way, but someone who is hyperliteral will answer variations in the exact same pattern, consistently.

Another coolio thing is that they weight differently if you’ve taken the test before, or have training in either psych or the test.

Anyhow, they’re wicked cool tests. Here in the states it’s generally 2-4 hours to complete, a follow up 1 hour interview appointment after the computers have run their algorithms, and a last appointment to present the information / provisional diagnoses (tests can’t diagnose people, it still requires an expert to Dx, but it makes the Dx extremely likely / & are a common tool used in diagnostics). Out of pocket expense last time I checked (ie during my divorce a few years ago) is between $700-$2500. Not including the full medical work-up that’s part of diagnostics, nor any other therapy appointments (as probability isn’t certainty, some disorders are relatively simple to Dx, others most clinicians want a few months before they’re willing to commit to a Dx). Just the tests & proctoring & evaluations themselves cost a mint on this side of the pond.

So I very much doubt the NHS uses them except as a last resort, if at all. But if you have a private provider you could hit up & find out local prices? Or if I’m wrong and the NHS loooooves these tests? They really are fun / super useful tools.

A couple examples
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III)

 

[Teasel]

That's amazing @Friday thank you. Do the tests have an overall name? Or are they lots of individual tests for individual ailments?

I seem to remember in the process of getting diagnosed with ptsd being given some questionnaires that seemed v well designed, though I dont know what they were called.

 

[Friday]

That's amazing @Friday thank you. Do the tests have an overall name? Or are they lots of individual tests for individual ailments?

Psych Assessment Tests is the umbrella term.

This article has a pretty decent overview, although it focuses in on IQ.
Types of Psychological Testing

I seem to remember in the process of getting diagnosed with ptsd being given some questionnaires that seemed v well designed, though I dont know what they were called.

There are a lot of disorder specific tests... and general idea tests & quizzes. Much shorter, and far less broad-info gained (although some gather tons and tons of specific infoj, but as long as you already have a general idea of what you’re dealing with? They’re just as useful, in a different way.

Like if you know you’re dealing with dissociation? The dissociative scale test is often administered to determine specific information about the type / duration / impact. Which the much broader tests don’t do. They just tell you that disassociation is in play.

 

[Teasel]

Thanks ever so much, gonna read up and let it sink in. Money's tight at no so private treatment wouldn't be possible just yet but I'll certainly look into it for future.

Actually I saw somewhere you can do the MMPI online for free - though of course you don't get the expert analysis of the results.

 

[siniang]

One of the fascinating things about these tests is that they not only test for lying (the ways they do it are super fun, some obvious some incrediably sneaky), but also mood/perception (like if someone is trying to sound good vs determinedly cheerful, or the reverse someone is trying to sound worse than they are, or is suffering from a negative outlook).... that those -and others- are variants never fails to blow my mind. A few of the better ones can even test for hyperliteralism. Because someone trying to sound better than they are may answer a certain percentage one way, but someone who is hyperliteral will answer variations in the exact same pattern, consistently.

You sound like you know a little more about this, would you mind sharing? Genuinely curious.

I bet it needs a lot of training to interpret the tests.

For what it's worth info-wise: I have to do two questionnaires screening for depression and GAD every two weeks. There was another one during the initial assessment, but they all are kinda straight forward. I know there's one out there testing for DID. I'm pretty sure at least PsyDoc did use a questionnaire when assessing me, just based on the questions she asked. Assessment with T was more interview-like, not quite as straight-forward.

 

[Friday]

I bet it needs a lot of training to interpret the tests.

A masters degree or doctorate; plus licensure & certification (IE a few thousand hours of clinical supervision, advanced training, & testing) in psych, social work, or psychiatry.

 

[siniang]

A masters degree or doctorate; plus licensure & certification (IE a few thousand hours of clinical supervision, advanced training, & testing) in psych, social work, or psychiatry.

That's what I expected :) I was thinking more along the lines of how I often see claims by pepole of Ts/PsyDocs not actually having proper training and/or misdiagnosing. I was just thinking out loud, not questioning the fact :)

 

[Gs172003]

You sound like you know a little more about this, would you mind sharing? Genuinely curious.

I bet it needs a lot of training to interpret the tests.

For what it's worth info-wise: I have to do two questionnaires screening for depression and GAD every two weeks. There was another one during the initial assessment, but they all are kinda straight forward. I know there's one out there testing for DID. I'm pretty sure at least PsyDoc did use a questionnaire when assessing me, just based on the questions she asked. Assessment with T was more interview-like, not quite as straight-forward.

Why do you have to screen so often?

 

[Sideways]

Why do you have to screen so often?

Tracking subjective experience of symptoms. Crazy helpful to both the T and the patient (something you can do yourself).

I did pretty comprehensive symptom tracking daily for 7 months straight. The insight I got, figuring out what my ‘normal’ was, what worked management wise - one of the most helpful exercises I ever did. But very confronting doing it yourself, helps to have a T there monitoring with you. I also use a function meter for a similar purpose, which I developed with my T because of how useful and motivating the symptom tracking had been.

Not sure if that’s why @siniang did it, but that’s why I do it.

The trauma group I attend they have a standard symptom questionnaire they give everyone every 6 months. That helps them know whether their program is actually helping.

Mental hospitals here also have 3 very short ones that every patient does on admission and discharge. They’re standard questions across every institution (public and private), which helps get an idea about what level of care the different places are being required to provide, how successful they are at alleviating symptoms during patient admissions, etc. As soon as you’ve done more than 1 admission, the staff also get insight into where you’re at compared to your previous admission, which can be really helpful.

The PTSD Coach app (I think developed by the VA in the US?) has a symptom tracker, which I continue to use monthly. Takes a couple of minutes, and helps me get some kind of objectivity into how I am actually going. Am I struggling like usual? Or am I actually really crashing? Super helpful.

Not exactly why you were asking, but I find this stuff super helpful.

@siniang I remember the one I did for ‘testing’ for DID. It’s actually not definitive, which is why it requires a specialist to administer it. Just because you get a high score, doesn’t mean you have DID, it may just mean that you dissociate a LOT, and that dissociation is significantly impairing your function. I remember it because one of the questions was “Do you have trouble getting the flow started when you urinate?” Wtf?

I decided that was none of his business, and said No. I ended up getting a high score (expected) even though I lied on that question. I still don’t quite get how dissociation is causing that particular issue!

@berlinda I did a comprehensive personality inventory (hundreds of questions - like, take it home, bring it back with you next week) when my first pdoc wanted a second opinion. It demonstrated that I have traits of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I’ve needed reassurance that I’m not narcissistic on a number of occasions since doing that assessment. If I had’ve done it online for free? I wouldn’t have had the benefit of understanding that all it means is that I have all the internal symptoms of NPD (pathological self-loathing). If all I had were results saying “You have significant NPD traits? That would’ve pushed me over the edge for sure.

 

[Gs172003]

Tracking subjective experience of symptoms. Crazy helpful to both the T and the patient (something you can do yourself).

I did pretty comprehensive symptom tracking daily for 7 months straight. The insight I got, figuring out what my ‘normal’ was, what worked management wise - one of the most helpful exercises I ever did. But very confronting doing it yourself, helps to have a T there monitoring with you. I also use a function meter for a similar purpose, which I developed with my T because of how useful and motivating the symptom tracking had been.

Not sure if that’s why @siniang did it, but that’s why I do it.

The trauma group I attend they have a standard symptom questionnaire they give everyone every 6 months. That helps them know whether their program is actually helping.

Mental hospitals here also have 3 very short ones that every patient does on admission and discharge. They’re standard questions across every institution (public and private), which helps get an idea about what level of care the different places are being required to provide, how successful they are at alleviating symptoms during patient admissions, etc. As soon as you’ve done more than 1 admission, the staff also get insight into where you’re at compared to your previous admission, which can be really helpful.

The PTSD Coach app (I think developed by the VA in the US?) has a symptom tracker, which I continue to use monthly. Takes a couple of minutes, and helps me get some kind of objectivity into how I am actually going. Am I struggling like usual? Or am I actually really crashing? Super helpful.

Not exactly why you were asking, but I find this stuff super helpful.

@siniang I remember the one I did for ‘testing’ for DID. It’s actually not definitive, which is why it requires a specialist to administer it. Just because you get a high score, doesn’t mean you have DID, it may just mean that you dissociate a LOT, and that dissociation is significantly impairing your function. I remember it because one of the questions was “Do you have trouble getting the flow started when you urinate?” Wtf?

I decided that was none of his business, and said No. I ended up getting a high score (expected) even though I lied on that question. I still don’t quite get how dissociation is causing that particular issue!

@berlinda I did a comprehensive personality inventory (hundreds of questions - like, take it home, bring it back with you next week) when my first pdoc wanted a second opinion. It demonstrated that I have traits of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I’ve needed reassurance that I’m not narcissistic on a number of occasions since doing that assessment. If I had’ve done it online for free? I wouldn’t have had the benefit of understanding that all it means is that I have all the internal symptoms of NPD (pathological self-loathing). If all I had were results saying “You have significant NPD traits? That would’ve pushed me over the edge for sure.

Thanks for your answer

@Sideways I have downloaded the PTSD coach and did the assessment. Thing is...I don't really know the answer to some of these. The ones I did know the answer to I answered best I could. It says my symptoms are bad. I couldn't have done this right.

 

[Sideways]

@Zoogal - right. The thing is, are your symptoms bad based on your normal? Are they better than last month? Or are things going downhill? That’s where tracking comes in handy.

I’ve been using that app for a while now. I now completely ignore whether the app thinks my symptoms are mild or bad - what matters is the line that you get over time. Are you tracking up? Down? Or are you stable? That can be really helpful to know - based on the way you personally answer those same set of questions each month, how well are you.