Use of Structured Interviews by Psychiatrists in Real Clinical Settings: Results of an Open-question Survey.

Abstract

Psychiatry (Edgemont) readers were surveyed about whether or not they use structured interviews in real clinical settings. Forty psychiatrists responded to the survey: six psychiatrists in private practices and 34 faculty psychiatrists. The majority of psychiatrists (72.5%) do not use structured interviews and 27.5 percent use some structured interviews in clinical settings. The three most commonly cited reasons for not using structured interviews were "constraints of time," "structured interviews are research tools," and "structured interviews interfere with establishing rapport with patients." Other reasons why psychiatrists do not use structured interviews are analyzed and discussed.