The Psychiatric Interview involves a balance of being empathetic, asking the right questions, and thinking about the diagnostic criteria carefully for psychiatric disorders. Remember, everyone has a different way of interviewing, but every question you ask should have a purpose. Are you trying to elicit symptoms?

The goals of the psychiatric interview are: Build rapport. Collect data about the patient's current difficulties, past psychiatric history and medical history, as well as relevant developmental, interpersonal and social history. Diagnose the mental health issue(s).

The psychiatric interview is an essential tool used by mental health professionals to fully assess a patient's psychological wellbeing, gathering vital information about mood, thoughts, and behavior of all types.