[The diagnostic interview in the psychiatric-psychotherapeutic assesment]

The clinical diagnostic interview provides decisive knowledge for psychiatric psychotherapeutical expert opinion. During this interview the contact between medical expert and the examined person is established, the latter reports his bodily ailments, disabilities and lack of participation in various aspects of life in great detail. Just as important for the expert opinion and recommendation as this verbal information is the psychiatric evidence, which is mostly provided during the interview. In the following article there are methodical thoughts about the purpose and structure of the interview as well as advice concerning exemplary questions and suggestions on how to put information gained from various levels (files, disabilities, clinical results, results of standardised psychological tests, etc.) into relation. The remarks are to be understood as a step forward to further operationalise and standardise the process of gaining information for expert opinion compared to what, according to the author's experience, has been met so far.