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“This book pulled me in, because it is different than most other books on diagnosis, it fills a niche, and the writing style is marvelous....Morrison adopts the role of a friendly tutor, one who has a wealth of clinical experience but assumes that some readers are new to this and that some seasoned clinicians were trained poorly or have developed bad habits that interfere with their capacity to reliably diagnose patients with precision. He writes in a style that is both scientific and professional, but also conversational....This book would be of value to students in training, as the basis for a course on diagnostics, or as a reference honing the skills of experienced clinicians, which is exactly how I used it. This is an exceptional book that must be read and reread because of the wealth of information it contains.”

—PsycCRITIQUES (on the first edition)


“A useful resource for clinicians to learn a systematic approach for arriving at diagnoses....Appropriate for students and those in early postgraduate training, as well as more experienced clinicians endeavoring to teach this material.”

—Psychiatric Services (on the first edition)


“This second edition is a welcome resource for students and residents and their instructors, as well as for practicing clinicians. Written in an easy-to-read, eloquent style, the book guides the reader through decision trees that simplify the complex process of making a diagnosis. It is filled with interesting case examples and handy roadmaps, and is updated for DSM-5.”

—Richard Balon, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Wayne State University


“Morrison is an excellent writer, and Diagnosis Made Easier, Second Edition, is an easy read filled with useful clinical pearls. Numerous cases illustrate over 20 diagnostic principles. This book is an excellent choice for mental health trainees. The emphasis on syndrome identification can be quite helpful when undertaking a diagnostic evaluation.”

—David L. Dunner, MD, Director, Center for Anxiety and Depression, University of Washington


“Diagnosis Made Easier, Second Edition, retains what made the first edition so useful, while fully updating it for DSM-5. It is well written, engaging, and filled with practical tips and rich illustrative examples, both from clinical practice and popular culture. The emphasis is on core principles that are essential for sound diagnostic decision making. Although this book is particularly well suited for courses on psychodiagnostic assessment, experienced practitioners will find it useful, as well.”

—Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, Department of Psychology,Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada


“Too often, research and theory seem divorced from practice and experience. Morrison's book is a joyful reunion of these contrasting perspectives. In clear prose, he walks us through guiding principles and heuristics that focus our attention on key diagnostic issues while building a scaffolding that keeps the myriad details organized. He demystifies how to meet the client as a person, understand their needs, and meld that with evidence-based assessment and treatment. If you teach more structured approaches to diagnostic interviewing, Morrison provides the context to make the ideas engaging. If you teach more open-ended, unstructured formats, then the skills and concepts provide a crucial core for clinical practice. I wish I'd had this book when I was in graduate school!”

—Eric A. Youngstrom, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Table of Contents

Introduction

I. The Basics of Diagnosis

1. The Road to Diagnosis

2. Getting Started with the Roadmap

3. The Diagnostic Method

4. Putting It Together

5. Coping with Uncertainty

6. Multiple Diagnoses

7. Checking Up

II. The Building Blocks of Diagnosis

8. Understanding the Whole Patient

9. Physical Illness and Mental Diagnosis

10. Diagnosis and the Mental Status Examination

III. Applying the Diagnostic Techniques

11. Diagnosing Depression and Mania

12. Diagnosing Anxiety, Fear, Obsessions, and Worry

13. Diagnosing Psychosis

14. Diagnosing Problems of Memory and Thinking

15. Diagnosing Substance Misuse and Other Addictions

16. Diagnosing Personality and Relationship Problems

17. Beyond Diagnosis: Compliance, Suicide, Violence

18. Patients, Patients

Appendix. Diagnostic Principles

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About the Author

James Morrison, MD, is Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. He has extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. With his acclaimed practical books—including DSM-5 Made Easy; Diagnosis Made Easier, Second Edition; The First Interview, Fourth Edition; Interviewing Children and Adolescents, Second Edition; When Psychological Problems Mask Medical Disorders, Second Edition; and The Mental Health Clinician's Workbook—Dr. Morrison has guided hundreds of thousands of mental health professionals and students through the complexities of clinical evaluation and diagnosis.

• Author's website
• All titles by James Morrison
• Sign up for emails on upcoming titles by James Morrison (with special discounts)!

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Audience

Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and counselors working with adults; graduate students and residents.

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Course Use

Serves as a text in graduate-level courses that deal with psychiatric diagnosis.

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Special package offer: DSM-5-TR® Made Easy: The Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis explains DSM diagnoses in clear language, illustrated with vivid case vignettes. The First Interview: Fourth Edition, presents a framework for conducting thorough, empathic initial evaluations. Diagnosis Made Easier: Second Edition: Principles and Techniques for Mental Health Clinicians, offers principles and decision trees for integrating diagnostic information from multiple sources. The Mental Health Clinician's Workbook uses in-depth cases and carefully constructed exercises to build the reader's diagnostic skills. Together, they are an essential package for interviewing and diagnosis.

Order all 4 items for $143.95, instead of $192.00 if bought separately!

order package

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Previous editions published by Guilford:

First Edition, © 2007
ISBN: 9781593853310

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New to this edition:

• Revised throughout for DSM-5.
• Updated resources and suggested readings.