ABSTRACT
This chapter explores particular type of clinical assessment, namely, the psychodiagnostic assessment and its uses, the techniques and tools used to conduct this kind of assessment and the uses, strengths, and limitations of the clinical interview, objective tests, and projective tests. The clinical psychologist has to create an environment that is safe, secure, and private, free from interruptions so the patient feels free to talk about issues that are often deeply personal and that may have never been revealed to others. The clinical psychologist needs to create this atmosphere of acceptance, warmth, and professionalism so the patient can feel as comfortable as possible in revealing personal information. Although completed suicide is a rare event, it is a real concern for individuals with a variety of disorders and psychological problems. It is incumbent upon clinical psychologists to ensure that the tools used in assessments have both reliability and validity for the particular client's culture and the testing objective.
