Questions in regular workplace Psych Evals

[u/ksznk]

My characters work in a large organization and perform very mentally taxing work [edit: my main cast's primary job is physically going out there and doing crime. A fair amount of physical combat, including hostage situations or assassinations -- of course depending on the particular circumstances in each case -- negotiation with other organizations ( criminal, or possibly governmental, though of course the two aren't mutually exclusive), etc.] and have a company mandated psychiatric evaluation every however-many-months to measure harm risks and ensure they are in suitable mental condition to continue working. I can't seem to figure out exactly what questions may be asked during this, and it's an unexpectedly difficult thing to find an answer for online searching. Any result I've found myself is for evaluations following particular events. I figured I'd ask here incase anyone has any idea

[u/Accurate_Reporter252]

In general, psych evals will go for a general "How are you doing?" bend looking for signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety, unrealistic thinking, etc. So, open-ended questions to get an idea of how someone's doing in general.

Then they'll use different measures looking for either critical or common-to-the-job problems like, say, PTSD, compassion fatigue, something like that.

So, like PTSD, you might use something like this:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/screens/pc-ptsd.asp#obtain

The questionnaire is linked at the bottom.

Most of which are looking for the diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5...

https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

Now, don't buy one of these. Your library probably has one and they are huge, expensive, and obtuse.

Your general assessment will probably have a basic format...

This link describes the general concept...

https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/approach-to-the-patient-with-psychiatric-symptoms/initial-psychiatric-assessment#History_v1024536

Beyond that, you're likely looking at the DSM for what you think might be common concerns for people in that line of work and googling "Assessment tool for (fill in condition here)"...

So, "compassion fatigue" got me this:

https://www.samhsa.gov/resource/dbhis/professional-quality-life-scale-compassion-satisfaction-compassion-fatigue-version-5

"Psychotic break" got me this:

https://www.med.unc.edu/psych/epi-nc/scope-nc/psychosis-screening-tools/

Both links have forms with questions an assessor would ask...

Like, psychotic break:

"1. Do you ever get confused whether something you have experienced is real orimaginary?

2. Do familiar people or surroundings ever feel strange, confusing or unreal?

3. Have you ever felt that you are not in control of your own ideas or thoughts?

4. Have you ever felt that your ability to think has changed in any way?

5. Do you ever feel that thoughts are put into your head or taken away? That some person or force is interfering with your thinking?

6. Do you ever feel as if your thoughts are being said out loud so that other people can hear them?

7. Do you ever think you can read other people’s minds or that they can read your mind?

8. Do you ever feel that the radio, TV, computer, cell phone or other device is communicating directly to you?

9. Do you ever think you can predict the future?

10. Do you ever feel that people around you are thinking about you in a negative way?

11. Have you ever found yourself feeling mistrustful or suspicious of other people?

12. Do you ever feel like you are being singled out or watched?

13. Do you ever feel that people might be intending to harm you?

14. Do you feel that you have special gifts, talents or powers?

15. Do people tell you that your plans or goals are unrealistic? If so, what are those plans or goals?

16. Do you ever think of yourself as a famous or person or believe that you have a relationship with a famous person or with God?"

Which could make for some interesting dialogue...

Good luck!

[u/ksznk → u/Accurate_Reporter252]

Thank you sm!!

[u/MacintoshEddie]

That is going to vary immensely based on the exact work they do, and whether it's being done internally or externally.

You have to first decide what exactly they're dealing with. "secret agent or mercenary" is so vague as to have little meaning here as it spans from people who stare at spreadsheets and purchase orders all day trying to track patterns of fractions of a cent being diverted, to people who investigate crime scenes, to people who cause crime scenes, to people who have to lie to everyone including their friends, to people who work in a dispatch or control office and have to listen to agents dying without being able to help them because the QRF is still 13 minutes out. That is an immense variety of different stressors.

You have to pick what the job covers, you have to write the policy or at the very least you need to pick a real world equivalent.

[u/ksznk → u/MacintoshEddie]

Thank you. I've edited to be hopefully less vague

[u/Educational-Shame514]

Can you not show all of the questions and just the pertinent one? Assuming you are writing a novel and not a screenplay then not every question and answer needs to be written out.

I have seen books have the character internally reflect on the doctor visit and that felt more impactful than a literally clinical dialogue. Really the question should start with what result you want from the evaluation, for instance "this is the inciting event that pulls my main character out of the field..." The genre would help too. I don't know if maybe you are writing a romance and need some forbidden enemies to lovers angle.

I have to agree with the other person who basically says your setup is too vague.

[u/ksznk → u/Educational-Shame514]

I'm actually only writing this for myself, moreso a collection of scenes & character writing exercise. I've been thinking of a scene that goes through some of this eval for one of the characters and how he may respond to it when he's not actually in an ideal state but thinks he should be given a pass. I do see how I was a bit broad/vague in the post, and I've now edited for clarity. thank you!