Mental health intake assessments from a biopsychosocial perspective

Psychotherapists’ approach to intake assessment has a major impact on mental health case conceptualization and treatment. Despite its importance, little is known about therapists’ actual assessment practices. This appears to be the first study to investigate which aspects of biopsychosocial functioning are documented by therapists in their intake assessments, how thoroughly these issues are assessed, and how well the information collected is integrated into the assessment findings. The study found that therapists regularly collect information regarding a wide range of biopsychosocial issues, though not in a detailed or comprehensive manner, nor a manner designed to maximize treatment effectiveness.