The psychiatric interview to children and adolescents (III): psychopathological and structural assessment of the child

The purpose of this paper is to review the key psychopathological and structural assessment of the child. It is therefore essential to consider age, sex and level of development. The purpose of the psychopathological assessment includes determining whether psychopathological symptoms or risk factors involving present or future vulnerability are present. The information collected includes: physical appearance and maturational development, contact and type of attachment, self-regulation, affection and mood, thought, sensory perception, language and communication, cognitive level and family, school and social adaptation, evaluation of sphincter control, food and sleep. Assessment of personality structure includes information on the characteristics of their development and data collected from the child's exploration from the verbal interview, the children's play and other complementary psychological tests.