Through the Looking Glass

Background: Although the psychiatric interview is the cornerstone of mental health treatment, little is known of the consumer's experience of being assessed. Aim: To explore the perceptions of consumers toward being repeatedly assessed by mental health staff. Methods: Six focus group interviews involving 22 consumers of public mental health services were conducted to elicit their perceptions of being repeatedly assessed. Participants were invited to comment on a vignette depicting the experience of a consumer undergoing repeated psychiatric assessment. A semistructured interview schedule was employed to guide the data collection. Results: Six themes emerged from the data, and these suggest that the process of being repeatedly assessed had both positive and negative aspects. While consumers felt that the assessment process could be therapeutic and soothing, themes underpinned by frustration, punishment, suspicion, and voyeurism were also identified. Conclusions: Suggestions are made regarding possible implications for practice that relate to assessment with a more consumer-sensitive approach and the development of staff training programs that focus on alliance building and promoting the principles of recovery.