The psychiatric interview with adults

The chapter describes how to take a comprehensive psychiatric history with adults. It explains that the purpose of the psychiatric history is to elicit the necessary information to make sense of the presenting problems, determine whether a diagnosis can be made, and to try and understand the origins of the presenting problems in a particular individual (the ‘formulation’). It also emphasizes the role the interview has in establishing a therapeutic and psychoeducational relationship. The chapter gives practical guidance on preparing for the interview and what questions to ask. Recommendations are given on how to structure and record historical information under standard categories ranging from presenting complaint through to pre-morbid personality. These are the traditional ‘part 1 summary’ categories for the psychiatric history that trainee psychiatrists must learn. Advice is also given on tailoring the psychiatric history taking to settings such as A&E, outpatients, home visits, and assessment of the elderly.