HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Curran, D. Articles by Roberts, J. A. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Curran, D. Articles by Roberts, J. A. F.

A Screening Procedure for the Selection of Recruits for Psychiatric Interview

J. A. Fraser Roberts, M.D., D.Sc., M.R.C.P., F.R.S.E., Director, Burden Mental Research Department, Stoke Park Colony, Bristol; Temporary Surgeon-Commander R.N.V.R.; Consultant in Medical Statistics, Royal Navy

ABSTRACT

The screening procedure described comprises a short interview by intelligent women who have received brief instruction only. They assess school and work record and, without using a set form of questions, discuss a selected list of topics bearing on stability. It is found that this method, without rousing resentment, can yield a reasonable proportion of pick-ups for subsequent psychiatric interview, at which it will indeed be found that psychiatric abnormality is frequently present. On the other hand, relatively few persons are picked up in whom significant psychiatric abnormality is not present.

In the course of two experiments the procedure was applied to psychiatric in-patients and out-patients, non-psychiatric in-patients and normal sailors serving as controls. Pre-service history only was considered, and the interviewers were not aware which men were psychiatric patients and which controls. The result was as follows:

Of the controls picked up no less than half proved on examination to present appreciable psychiatric abnormality.