Vignette 5 - Assessing for Depression in a Mental Health Appointment

This is a vignette designed to train health care professionals. The clinician in the video uses both helpful and non-helpful interventions. The learner is encouraged to identify which interventions are helpful and which are not.
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Vignette description: In Vignette 3, Tony has been referred to a mental health provider to assess for depression. This vignette (5) shows a mental health provider assessing Tony for depression and suicidality. The provider must find a way to get beyond female--oriented ways of asking about depression to help Tony talk about his feelings. Adolescent males often do not endorse sadness, depression, crying, or hopelessness. They may experience frustration, anxiety, irritability, and anger, and may have somatic concerns. Asking about these symptoms often provides a pathway for boys to talk more about their feelings, or to at least indicate their level of distress. Being able to assess adolescent boys for depression and suicidality is vital, given the rate of completed suicides among males.