ABSTRACT
Assessment procedures and tools help counselors determine a client’s strengths and needs, explore concerns relevant to the client, determine to what degree the client is experiencing clinically significant symptoms, and provide an appropriate diagnosis and develop a concordant treatment plan. This chapter will focus upon the elements that contribute to the assessment process, including the role of assessment in the counseling process, the role of counselors in the assessment process, and processes for conducting assessments including those relevant for assigning a DSM-5 diagnosis, assessing child and elder abuse and neglect, and determining the impact of treatment on client progress and clinical outcomes. Applications of assessment processes to the identification of client strengths, needs, and plans for treatment, as well as ethical and cultural considerations relevant to conducting and using assessment and testing data are explored.
