The Psychiatric Interview
Carlat · 5th Edition · ISBN 9781975212971 · Wolters Kluwer
Complete chapter-by-chapter study guide aligned with The Psychiatric Interview (5th Edition). Includes summaries, learning objectives, and NCLEX-style practice questions for all 35 chapters.
Overview
Carlat's The Psychiatric Interview (5th Edition) is a practical, widely recommended guide to conducting psychiatric assessments, used by psychiatry, advanced practice nursing, and mental health trainees. This study guide is built to follow the book chapter by chapter, from the initial interview and logistic preparations through building the therapeutic alliance and the art of asking questions about threatening topics, improving recall, and changing topics smoothly. It also covers techniques for reluctant, talkative, agitated, malingering, and adolescent patients, interviewing informants, obtaining the history of present illness and psychiatric history, the mental status examination, assessing suicidal and homicidal ideation, and the focused assessment of the major diagnostic categories from depression and bipolar disorder to anxiety, psychosis, substance use, and personality disorders. The aim is to help you review high-yield interviewing techniques and DSM-5-TR-aligned assessment content the way they are tested and used clinically, without rereading the whole book.
Aligned with psychiatry, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, and mental health training programs; supports course exams and the clinical interviewing and assessment skills used in practice.
What you'll learn
The major topics this guide walks you through, matched to the textbook's order:
- Structuring the initial interview
- Building the therapeutic alliance
- Asking about threatening topics
- Improving patient recall
- Techniques for difficult patients
- Interviewing family and informants
- History of present illness
- The psychiatric history
- The mental status examination
- Assessing suicidal ideation
- Assessing depressive and bipolar disorders
- Assessing anxiety and trauma disorders
- Assessing psychotic and substance use disorders
- DSM-5-TR criteria and diagnosis
Need the textbook itself?
The Psychiatric Interview by Carlat, published by Wolters Kluwer, is a popular, practical guide known for teaching the techniques of building rapport and conducting focused, DSM-5-TR-aligned psychiatric assessments.
Buy new, rent, or find a used copy of The Psychiatric Interview below. Make sure you get the 5th Edition (ISBN 9781975212971) — editions differ, so double-check before you order. We earn a small commission if you buy through these links — your price is unchanged.
Chapters covered
Every chapter below is fully covered in the PDF — summary, learning objectives, key terms, and NCLEX-style practice questions with rationales.
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What exactly do I get?
A printable PDF study guide covering all 35 chapters of The Psychiatric Interview (5th Edition) — chapter summaries, learning objectives, and NCLEX-style practice questions with rationales. One file, lifetime access, no subscription.
How soon will I get it?
Instantly. A download link appears on screen and lands in your inbox the moment your payment clears.
Who is this aligned for?
It is aligned to the 5th edition, which is used by psychiatry residents, PMHNP students, and other mental health trainees learning to conduct clinical interviews.
Does it cover the mental status exam and suicide assessment?
Yes. It reviews the MSE, suicidal and homicidal ideation assessment, and the focused diagnostic assessments central to the book.
Is it the book itself?
No. It is an independent study guide that condenses high-yield interviewing techniques rather than reproducing the book.
Will it match my edition?
This guide is built around the 5th Edition. If your class uses a different edition, chapter numbering may shift slightly, but the topics and learning objectives are usually unchanged.
Do I still need the textbook?
The study guide is a companion, not a replacement — it helps you study efficiently and review fast, but you'll still want the textbook for full depth and any assigned readings. You can buy new, rent, or find a used copy through the price links on this page.
What if it is not what I expected?
Every purchase is backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee — email us within 14 days for a full refund.
Is this a test bank or copied from the textbook?
No. This is an original study guide written to align with The Psychiatric Interview — summaries, objectives, and practice questions with rationales, not a reproduced publisher test bank or copied text.
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About this study guide
This is an original study guide written to align with the topics and learning objectives covered in The Psychiatric Interview (5th Edition) by Carlat. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Wolters Kluwer or the textbook's authors. All summaries, practice questions, and explanations are independently authored.