The Influence of Seeing the Patient First on Diagnostic Decision Making in Psychiatry

Abstract

With 18 psychiatrists as subjects, and utilizing filmed samples of patient behavior, the authors designed a study to investigate the relative importance of personal impression data versus life history information in arriving at a psychiatric diagnosis. Results indicated the importance of contact with the patient and further showed that psychiatrists deal comfortably and efficiently with personal impression information. However, the authors found that psychiatrists do not agree reliably on certain patient characteristics.