Clinical Interview

A clinical interview is a conversation between a clinician and a patient that is typically intended to develop a diagnosis. It is a "conversation with a purpose" that can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured. Emphasis is placed on open-ended questions with the focus being on the patient and not the clinician. Clinical interviews are typically used with other measures and methods to diagnose the patient. There are many different types of clinical interviews: diagnostic, termination, orientation, selection, intake, case history, and mental status exams are all examples.