Psychological Assessment of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders: A Multimethod Approach

This intermediate workshop introduces key diagnostic concepts and reviews multiple methods for assessing bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD), as presented in the APA book Psychological Assessment of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders (Kleiger & Weiner, Eds., 2023). A discussion of conceptual and diagnostic issues is followed by a brief review of the use of interview and self-report methods (e.g., MMPI-3, PAI, and screening scales) and performance-based methods like the Rorschach. The focus includes differential diagnosis of BSD from overlapping disorders and critical issues in diagnosing BSD in a multicultural context.

• List four key non-manic features that increase the risk for bipolar disorder.
• Identify four key variables from personality inventories and performance methods useful in identifying bipolar disorders.
• Explain key differences in the differential diagnosis of BSD, borderline personality, and trauma-spectrum disorders.

James Kleiger, PsyD