Key questions on a psychiatric review of systems includes asking questions about mood (both depression and mania), sleep, anxiety, psychosis, obsessions and compulsions, dissociative symptoms, trauma history, body image disturbances, eating disorders, and somatic/pain disorders.

The average length of the interview was 1.5 hours. An experienced research psychiatrist supervised the performance of the interview and the allocation of the DSM-IV diagnosis, in order to prevent errors.

The three important components of this interview are patient history, health examination and clinical judgment. Patient history includes gathering information about previous medical conditions and medications.

The evaluation is an integrated biopsychosocial assessment, including history, mental status, and recommendations, with interpretation and report. The evaluation may include communication with family or other sources and review and ordering of diagnostic studies.