Practitioners, students in training, and those preparing for licensure are engaged in learning the concepts and methods through the book’s helpful case study approach. Woven throughout each chapter, the case studies provide sample counseling dialogues in a practitioner’s voice, giving readers practical suggestions and guidance for using assessment methods and specific assessments instruments.
Learning and understanding is enhanced and accelerated through a number of helpful pedagogical features:
- Practice suggestion boxes
- Chapter objectives, overviews, and summaries
- Reflection questions and experiential exercise
- Sub-headings for specific tests and measures
Readers see first hand the methods, interviews, tests, and measures they will be exposed to and need to understand as professionals; tools that they can actually use during field placements and beyond. This approach reinforces the understanding of the material presented.
Multicultural counseling competencies are developed through the Cultural Considerations Sections. These sections integrate cultural concepts across different dimensions and help students understand multi-cultural factors that affect the selection and interpretation of specific tests and measures.
Readers have opportunities to engage with and assimilate the chapter content through the practical applied reflections questions and experiential activities at the end of each chapter.
Students learn how interviewing strategies and methods can be combined with other assessment methods–and get valuable clinical guidance on using those methods–in two full chapters (3 and 4) on interviewing principles and strategies.
Understanding of the use and limitations of specific tests and measures, particularly cultural considerations, is enhanced through the book’s sub-headings for specific tests and measures.
Readers get a framework they can use for assessing risk, a topic minimally covered in current books. Chapter 11 focuses on assessing dangerousness to self and others using a risks and protective factors model.
Identifying and assessing the impact of substance usage on presenting problems is covered clearly in Chapter 12.
Readers see how to apply foundational assessment concepts to their practice through the in depth coverage of the Risk and Resources Approach to assessment, assessment as a continuous process, assessment as intervention, and the stages of change mode. (Chapters 1, 4, and 11)
Guidance and suggestions that can be used in actual counseling settings are outlined in helpful practice suggestion boxes in chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 14, and 15.
Readers are able to apply the essential methods of observing–mental status evaluation and functional behavioural assessment–through Chapter 5’s in-depth coverage of these topics.
