A Guide to Assessments That Work

The need for evidence-based practice in mental health services is becoming clearer by the day and, until recently, the trend of emphasizing services with supporting empirical evidence has been almost exclusively limited to a focus on treatment options. A Guide to Assessments That Work fills a void in the professional literature by addressing the critical role that assessment plays in providing evidence-based mental health services.

To optimize its usefulness to readers, this volume addresses the assessment of the most commonly encountered disorders or conditions among children, adolescents, adults, older adults, and couples. Strategies and instruments for assessing mood disorders, anxiety disorders, couple distress and sexual problems, health-related problems, and many other conditions are also covered in depth. With a focus throughout on assessment instruments that are feasible, psychometrically sound, and useful for typical clinical requirements, a rating system has been designed to provide evaluations of a measure's norms, reliability, validity, and clinical utility. Standardized tables summarize this information in each chapter, providing essential information on the most scientifically sound tools available for a range of assessment needs.

Using the tools provided in A Guide to Assessments That Work, readers can at a glance determine the possible suitability and value of each instrument for their own clinical purposes. This much needed resource equips readers with the knowledge necessary for conducting the best evidence-based mental health assessments currently possible.

John Hunsley is Director of the Centre for Psychological Services at the University of Ottawa in Canada. Eric Mash is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.