Our favorite tips for "getting in" with difficult patients.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Patient Interviewing

Background:

• Difficult patient interviews pose challenges in psychiatric care.
• Patient resistance to acknowledging psychiatric problems can hinder treatment.
• Effective communication strategies are crucial for successful therapeutic alliances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present two novel techniques for interviewing patients with resistance.
• To enhance interviewer effectiveness with challenging patient populations.
• To improve patient cooperation and reduce distress in psychiatric assessments.

Main Methods:

• The article describes "crossing over to the other side of the canyon" technique.
• The "what if..." questioning technique is detailed.
• Illustrative interview examples demonstrate the application of these methods.

Main Results:

• "Crossing over" promotes patient confidence by addressing distress over diagnostic labels.
• "What if..." questions help identify and dismantle cognitive barriers.
• These techniques facilitate engagement with reluctant patients.

Conclusions:

• The presented techniques offer practical solutions for interviewing difficult patients.
• Focusing on patient distress and cognitive barriers improves therapeutic outcomes.
• These methods can enhance the effectiveness of psychiatric interviews.