Abstract
Purpose
While research demands standardized diagnostic assessments as an indication of sufficient methodological rigour, there is
debate about their application to clinical practice. The Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) provides a structured
assessment of psychiatric disorder. Since it can be completed on-line, it could be used by Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Services with few additional demands on staff. Access to the standardized diagnostic information as an adjunct to clinical
assessment could reduce the number of appointments spent on assessment, free up practitioner time to work on engagement and
improve clinical outcomes by increasing the accuracy of assessment and thus access to the appropriate evidence-based treatment.
debate about their application to clinical practice. The Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) provides a structured
assessment of psychiatric disorder. Since it can be completed on-line, it could be used by Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Services with few additional demands on staff. Access to the standardized diagnostic information as an adjunct to clinical
assessment could reduce the number of appointments spent on assessment, free up practitioner time to work on engagement and
improve clinical outcomes by increasing the accuracy of assessment and thus access to the appropriate evidence-based treatment.
Results
Exposure to the DAWBA may increase agreement between the DAWBA and practitioners about some anxiety disorders, but detected
no other statistically significant increased agreement for other disorders, nor a reduced need for further assessment, the
number of difficulties recognised or influence on outcomes.
no other statistically significant increased agreement for other disorders, nor a reduced need for further assessment, the
number of difficulties recognised or influence on outcomes.
Conclusions
The results may be explained by the inadequacy of the DAWBA, lack of statistical power to detect any effects that were present
or a reluctance of some practitioners to use the DAWBA in their assessment. Future research might benefit from exploring the
use of the DAWBA or similar assessments as a referral rather than an assessment tool, and exploring how practitioners and
parents experience and use the DAWBA and what training might optimise the utility of the DAWBA to clinical practice.
or a reluctance of some practitioners to use the DAWBA in their assessment. Future research might benefit from exploring the
use of the DAWBA or similar assessments as a referral rather than an assessment tool, and exploring how practitioners and
parents experience and use the DAWBA and what training might optimise the utility of the DAWBA to clinical practice.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s00127-012-0564-z
- Authors
- Tamsin Ford, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter, EX2 4SG UK
- Anna Last, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter, EX2 4SG UK
- William Henley, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter, EX2 4SG UK
- Shelley Norman, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter, EX2 4SG UK
- Sacha Guglani, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Croydon CAMHS, Lennard Lodge, 3 Lennard Road, Surrey, Croydon, CR0 2UL UK
- Katerina Kelesidi, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Box 085, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Anne-Marie Martin, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Box 085, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Pippa Moran, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Box 085, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Harriett Latham-Cork, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter, EX2 4SG UK
- Robert Goodman, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Box 085, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Online ISSN 1433-9285
- Print ISSN 0933-7954