The diagnosis is psychological: description and clarification of the essence

The psychological diagnosis is the result of the specialist’s activity, during which personality features, their current state, as well as forecasts of further possible transformations were identified.

Definition of a concept

Such a concept as "diagnosis" is used quite widely not only in medicine, but also in other scientific fields. Literally, it translates as "recognition". As for the term “psychological diagnosis”, it means identifying problems of a personal nature, as well as their obvious and hidden causes. In this case, we can talk not only about deviations or pathologies, but also about normal conditions, which also need research.

The psychological diagnosis can be made in four main areas, which at one time was identified by the famous scientist Reikovich:

• study, analysis and characterization of behavioral activities;
• the study of mental processes that are responsible for regulating human activities;
• diagnosis of mechanisms of the course of nerve reactions;
• the study of the conditions for the formation of psychological characteristics of the individual.

It is worth noting that in psychology the word "diagnosis" is not used as often as in other areas of medicine. This is due to the fact that the emotional state of a person is quite unstable and not always amenable to thorough study. That is why the psychological diagnosis is often approximate, descriptive.

If we talk about a detailed psychological diagnosis, then it involves the following points:

• primary study of the general condition of the individual and the level of his development;
• the study of personality for balance, as well as the identification of psychological characteristics;
• search for problems (not only recognized by the patient himself, but also hidden);
• determination of the attitude of a person to identified problems;
• psychological correction , taking into account the presence or absence of a patient expressed pronounced adaptive potential.

The main errors of psychological diagnosis

The problem of the psychological diagnosis is that it is quite difficult to establish it. Experts quite often make the following mistakes:

• inattentive or distorted observation, as a result of which character traits and the form of their manifestation may be misinterpreted;
• data registration errors, most often they are associated with a biased attitude towards the patient or with a subjective assessment of terms;
• instrumental errors are explained by a lack of skills in working with technical devices, as well as inability to correctly interpret the data;
• making a final diagnosis based on a first impression without further research;
• the attribution error consists in the fact that the specialist can attribute to the subject those traits of character that are not actually inherent in him;
• the establishment of false causes of deviations from the normal state;
• the desire to use the established hypotheses everywhere, not wanting to work on finding new solutions;
• diagnosis is too cautious.

Stages of a psychologist

The work of the psychologist with the patient includes the following main steps:

• preliminary preparation includes the establishment of contacts between the patient and the doctor, as well as the selection of working methods;
• establishing contact with the patient, as well as motivating him to cooperate (this goal is achieved by creating a friendly and trusting atmosphere);
• collecting data on the patient's condition by using various methods of psychological diagnosis;
• processing the obtained data with the subsequent formulation of the diagnosis and prediction of the further development of the patient's condition;
• development of recommendations for normalizing the patient's condition;
• drawing up a medical report in the prescribed form.

Psychological conclusion

Psychological diagnosis, psychological conclusion - these are similar concepts, which, however, cannot be identified. The first term is rather vague and not so often used in practice. If we talk about the psychological conclusion, then it is compiled in a formalized form and can be primary, as well as refined (final).

It is worth noting that the division of conclusions into primary and revised is rather arbitrary. In psychological practice, the need for repeated research often arises. That is why the final conclusion can go into the category of primary. This is due to the fact that the psychological and emotional state of the individual is subject to constant fluctuations and is quite unstable.

It is entirely acceptable to write a psychological conclusion in a free form, but if we talk about generally accepted practice, then it should have approximately the following form:

• A common part:
  • patient data;
  • complaints of the patient or persons accompanying him;
  • medical history data;
  • description of specific features of appearance and behavior;
  • identification of the degree of formation of regulatory functions;
  • development of cognitive characteristics;
  • emotional and personal problems and features of interpersonal communication.
• Special part:
  • formulated psychological diagnosis;
  • forecasts of the further development of the situation;
  • recommendations for normalizing the condition.

Principles of Psychological Conclusion

Psychological conclusions are established on the basis of the following principles:

• the document does not have a standard form of writing, and therefore is compiled in accordance with the diagnostician’s own theoretical and practical knowledge;
• The main conclusion is the statement of the purpose for which the study was conducted;
• in order for the psychological conclusion to have practical significance, it must certainly reflect the distinctive properties of the personality, which can be considered a deviation from the normal state;
• there should be a focus on specific actions that carry a corrective function;
• the conclusion should be accompanied by comprehensive data on the studies conducted (survey forms, etc.);
• descriptions should be clear and objective.

The psychological diagnosis and its types

It is worth noting that different specialists use different methods of working with patients. In this regard, the study of such issues as the psychological diagnosis and its types is of great interest. The following are considered the main ones:

• A diagnosis based on a statement of the fact of the presence of a particular sign. In this case, the psychological characteristics of the patient are evaluated based on a given criterion, which is considered the norm.
• Determining the severity of certain characteristics. Quite often used in the study of a group of persons for the presence of certain characteristics.

Areas of application of research results

The psychological diagnosis can find its application in the following areas of human activity:

• optimization of training and educational processes;
• work in the field of vocational training and career guidance;
• psychotherapeutic work, which is aimed at eliminating deviations from the normal state;
• judicial practice (depending on the expert’s opinion, the punishment may be determined).

The main methods of diagnosis

The following main methods of psychological diagnosis can be distinguished:

• drawing method - based on the image drawn by the subject, conclusions are drawn about his condition;
• interrogation method - special forms, after filling in which the psychologist can make an appropriate diagnosis;
• the sociometric method is used to identify patterns of relationships in a group of people;
• the biographical method involves the study of human psychology based on a description of his life and the reconstruction of individual key stages;
• genetic method - this is a diagnosis based on a study of medical histories of the patient’s closest relatives;
• the twin method is aimed at finding out the nature of the psychological characteristics of a person (they are congenital or acquired as a result of external factors);
• mathematical methods make it possible to justify and refine the hypothesis put forward.

Psychological diagnosis according to Vygotsky

One of the most prominent figures in the field of psychology is considered L. S. Vygotsky. He paid particular attention to concepts such as "psychological diagnosis" and "psychological prognosis." Based on his point of view, their content coincides. Nevertheless, in order to make a forecast, it is necessary to study not only the present, but also the patient’s past condition, which will help to form a more or less accurate picture of the further development of the situation.

In accordance with Vygotsky’s theory, the following main levels of psychological diagnosis can be distinguished:

• empirical - a statement of symptoms on the basis of which a conclusion is made;
• etiological - consists in identifying the causes of a condition;
• typological - this is the highest level of diagnosis, which involves determining the location of the identified deviations in the overall psychological picture of the person.

The introduction of such a term as the “social situation of development” should also be considered Vygotsky’s achievement. This is a system of relations that is established between a person and his environment.

Common childhood diagnoses

The following frequent psychological diagnoses of children can be distinguished:

• Affection disorders are a fear of separation from both close people and expensive things. The reason may be a recent loss or a sharp change of scenery. It manifests itself in a state of constant anxiety and isolation.
• Disruptive behavioral disorders that involve excessive activity and impulsivity. Children with a similar diagnosis are often quite short-tempered and stubborn, as well as sensitive. At the same time, they strive to command others and are characterized by an excessive desire to get the desired thing.
• Communicative disorders are manifested in difficulty verbal or non-verbal expression of their thoughts. Such children are often characterized by slow or slurred speech, as well as stuttering.
• Development disorders are accompanied by uncontrolled behavior. Such children can be violent and aggressive, and also suddenly experience attacks of anger. Such disorders are accompanied by impaired social and communication skills.
• Physiological disorders include disturbances in the nutritional system, as well as natural needs. They can be caused by severe stress or fear.
• Mood disorders are manifested in the form of depression and lethargy. It also includes bipolar disorders, which are accompanied by manic attacks, excessive irritation and agitation.
• Motor sign disorders are accompanied by delays in physical development. Often such children are clumsy, learn elementary techniques for a long time (for example, buttoning buttons and so on).
• Ticose disorders are often hereditary or can occur as a result of severe stress. These are involuntary and irregular movements of various parts of the body. Often under normal circumstances, such problems go away on their own by about 7 years.

Principles for making psychological diagnoses

The result of the specialist’s work with the patient is a psychological diagnosis. The following basic principles are known to psycho-diagnostics:

• an integrated approach implies a holistic study of such basic areas as personality, behavior and intelligence;
• unity of diagnosis and correction;
• holistic study of mental characteristics (during the study, all areas of the psyche should be identified);
• a personal approach involves the consideration of individual characteristics when making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment;
• the activity approach is that work with the patient should be carried out in the context of his field of activity;
• the principle of dynamism is to study not only relevant characteristics, but also the possibilities for their further development;
• The combination of individual and collegial examinations consists in the possibility of attracting third-party specialists to establish a diagnosis and treatment.

Patient Guidelines

The psychological diagnosis is a complex category, and therefore, specialists should be guided by some rules, interacting with clients:

• developing recommendations for the patient, it is worth offering him several alternative solutions to the problem so that he has the opportunity to choose depending on external circumstances;
• the psychologist should not be limited solely to the distribution of recommendations, but to give a subjective assessment of each of the tips;
• do not impose on the patient the way of behavior to which the psychologist is inclined - the patient should be able to make independent choices;
• psychological consultation should not make the patient dependent on the doctor (based on its results, the patient should receive independent psychocorrection skills);
• the client should always be able to re-contact a specialist if he cannot independently cope with the problem;
• the psychologist should not complete work with the patient until he is convinced that he has correctly understood the recommendations and is ready for independent activity.

conclusions

The concept of psychological diagnosis implies the result of the specialist’s activity, which was aimed at identifying deviations in personality development, developing recommendations and predicting the future state. This refers to the ability to recognize personality problems, as well as the causes of their occurrence and other significant points. If we talk about the directions of diagnosis, then it can consist in the study of behavioral activity, as well as the psychological processes that regulate it. Attention is paid to the mechanisms responsible for the course of nervous reactions, and the conditions in which the psychological portrait is formed.

It is worth noting that at the moment great attention is paid to such a question as the psychological diagnosis and its types. The control function is to prevent common mistakes that experts often make. So, we can talk primarily about inattention to the patient, because psychologists often rely on their previous experience. It is also worth noting the risk of biased attitude to the patient. A common mistake is to make a diagnosis based on a first impression without a deeper analysis. It is also worth noting the likelihood of using template theoretical situations without taking into account the individual characteristics of the person.

A concept such as “diagnosis” is not as common in psychology as “conclusion”. Despite the fact that it does not have an established form, there is a generally accepted scheme for its compilation. So, the general part contains basic data about the patient, as well as complaints from him (or from accompanying persons). Here, the appearance and behavior of the patient should be formulated, which are important for making a psychological diagnosis, as well as the problems identified. The special part contains not only the wording of the conclusion, but also general recommendations for solving the problem and a forecast of further developments.

A sufficiently large contribution to the theory and practice of psychology was made by the scientist L. S. Vygotsky. He came to the conclusion that the concepts of prognosis and diagnosis have approximately the same orientation. Nevertheless, the second is broader and more complex, because it involves the study of not only the past and present, but also the perspective state. Vygotsky distinguished three levels of psychological diagnosis. Empirical is the simplest and involves only a statement of overt and covert symptoms. If we talk about the etiological level, then it is more complicated due to the need to search and analyze the causes of deviation. Least of all is the typological level at which the place of existing deviations in the overall picture of the person is established.