Addressing Complexity in Diagnostic Decision Making and Clinical Practices in Mental Health

Title: Addressing Complexity in Diagnostic Decision Making and Clinical Practices in Mental Health

Description: Psychiatric diagnoses are an important means of communication among health professionals. They are used to guide treatment decisions, facilitate access to services, and predict future clinical management needs. Advancements in research continue to inform how clinicians conceptualize, assess, and treat mental health problems. For instance, recent changes to the classification of stressor-related problems, a category of psychiatric problems described in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2022) and the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (World Health Organization, 2022), are indicative of a wider ongoing trend to better understand how different stressors and exposures influence the presentation of mental health difficulties. An important first step towards tailoring interventions and developing appropriate guidelines which address the complex interactions among stressor exposures and their sequalae include understanding what information clinicians most rely on to make diagnostic decisions, and how this information influences treatment decisions. This study examines how access to different diagnostic criteria informs clinical decision-making. Participants will be randomized into one of two conditions and asked to provide their diagnostic and treatment impressions for 5 cases.

Specifics: Study Population:
Registered mental health professionals in Canada and abroad.

Participant Obligation:
This study is a one-time online survey which takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

Location: Online - London (ON)

Project lead: Stephanie Houle

Study Dates: December 11, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Study Website: https://www.osiresearch.ca/complex