The process of generating and evaluating diagnoses and selecting appropriate investigative or management procedures is based on a constant acquisition, interpretation, and evaluation of critical findings. Common assessments of these processes are often limited to scoring the accuracy of the diagnoses, investigative procedures, or management…

During paroxysms of colic, infants are hypertonic or neurolabile, and appear to be in acute, abdominal pain. The infant lets out a high-pitched cry which soon reaches a screaming level, and which is coupled with facial grimacing. The infant is difficult to console, and may resist attempts to sooth it. Between spells, these infants cry normally and…

Different feedback formats were utilized on a series of computer assisted lessons on physical diagnosis for second year medical students. Each lesson in the series is broken down into four or five major sections; in each section, the student is presented with a list of possible actions to be taken. On each item, three forms of feedback, two of…

Over the last decade, notable advances have been made in the classification of child and adolescent psychopathology. The use of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III (DSM-III) diagnostic categories for depression with children and adolescents was investigated using archival classification data spanning an 8-year time period.…

Increasing evidence that decompensation into acute psychosis by schizophrenics can often be avoided with active pharmacological and psychosocial intervention at the early signs of relapse has stimulated research into the signs and symptoms prodromal to acute psychosis. In this study, 6-week periods prior to 17 psychotic relapses and to 11 relapses…

The Family Drawing Depression Scale (FDDS) was created by Wright and McIntyre to provide a clear and reliable scoring method for the Kinetic Family Drawing as a procedure for detecting depression. A study was conducted to confirm the value of the FDDS as a systematic tool for interpreting family drawings with populations of depressed individuals.…

This paper provides information about and commentary on advances made in the understanding and treatment of cognitive dysfunction. Under discussion is the profession's role in the interdisciplinary teamwork at rehabilitation facilities, specifically the Baylor (Texas) Institute for Rehabilitation. Baylor features a serial assessment schedule in…

Many researchers and clinicians are diagnosing depressed children according to criteria resembling those used to diagnose depressed adults. To investigate cognitive correlates of depression in children two studies were conducted. In the first study 37 children in grades 5-7 were given a booklet containing the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI)…

A study of 21 patients with Alzheimer's Disease and 25 with vascular dementia, the two most common forms of dementia, investigated language impairments in the dementia syndrome to see if analysis of language disturbances is helpful in differential diagnosis. Diagnostic assessment included a neurological examination, detailed medical history,…

The study examined whether an animal naming task would discriminate between 286 normal students (grades K-9) and 123 language disordered students (5-16 years old). The task was of a free and controlled association type for identifying word retrieval problems. Each subject (S) was administered the task individually in the school or clinic setting.…

An atmosphere of understanding, reassurance, and security are essential when informing parents of psychological and psychiatric test results which may label their child retarded, learning disabled, or emotionally disturbed. In a personal approach developed by the author reassurance is given to the parent in a nonthreatening environment; and…

A case study is presented of a learning disabled male examined periodically from age 15 to 20 and followed to his present middle age. It is explained that diagnosis of the young man's organic brain damage led to a redirection of treatment for what had previously been identified as schizophrenia. (CL)

The paper discusses computer-based decision support in the following areas: the dental patient record system; diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oral mucosa; treatment strategy in complex clinical situations; diagnosis and treatment of functional disturbances of the masticatory system; and patient recall. (DB)

This commentary on a paper (EC 619 273) about the appearance of acute, healing, and healed anogenital injuries in children who have been sexually abused urges the development of guidelines to interpret the physical findings found in children. Limitations of current practice and clinical studies are noted. A research procedure for the development…

Achenbach's Child Behavioral Check List (CBCL) is an instrument that is administered to the parents of many thousands of children and adolescent annually in school systems and mental health agencies. It is a standardized instrument with age norms for males and females, on which parents rate their child's behavior. The CBCL consists of nine…