Assessment of child psychiatric disorders

This article focuses on key stages in the assessment of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. The main stages of the assessment interview are considered, including preparation for the interview, interview with the family, interview and observation of the child, interview with the parents, physical examination, and investigations, as well as the gathering of information from other sources. Some contextual factors are then considered in the formulation of the child’s difficulties. Key points are discussed as to how assessment of the adolescent may differ from that of a younger child and how the interview with an adolescent may be conducted in an ‘adolescent-friendly’ fashion.