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Psychiatric Therapy Glossary

100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026

CAGE Questionnaire CAGE

Intermediate Technical IVT

A four-question screening tool for alcohol use disorders using the acronym Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener.

Showing 1–24 of 100

affect

Intermediate Technical IVT

The observable emotional response or mood displayed by a patient during clinical examination.

Technical Term Full entry →

AIMS

Professional Technical IVT

Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale, a standardized rating scale used to detect and monitor movement disorders.

Abbreviation Full entry →

akathisia

Professional Technical IVT

A movement disorder characterized by subjective restlessness and an inability to sit still, often caused by antipsychoti...

Technical Term Full entry →

Anhedonia

Intermediate Technical IVT

The inability to experience pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable.

Technical Term Full entry →

anosognosia

Professional Technical IVT

Lack of insight or awareness of one's own mental health condition or symptoms.

Technical Term Full entry →

Avolition

Advanced Technical IVT

A negative symptom of schizophrenia characterized by lack of motivation or drive to pursue goal-directed activities.

Technical Term Full entry →

axis diagnosis

Intermediate Technical IVT

A multiaxial diagnostic system used in DSM-IV that organized mental health information across five different axes.

Technical Term Full entry →

Beck Depression Inventory

Intermediate Technical IVT

A standardized 21-question self-report inventory measuring the severity of depressive symptoms.

Technical Term Full entry →

breakthrough symptoms

Intermediate Technical IVT

Psychiatric symptoms that emerge or worsen despite ongoing treatment with medication or therapy at therapeutic levels.

Clinical Phenomenon Full entry →

Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale

Intermediate Technical IVT

A clinician-rated instrument measuring the severity of psychiatric symptoms across multiple domains.

Technical Term Full entry →

CAGE Questionnaire

Intermediate Technical IVT

A four-question screening tool for alcohol use disorders using the acronym Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener.

Technical Term Full entry →

case conceptualization

Advanced Technical IVT

Clinical framework that integrates assessment data to understand a client's problems and guide treatment planning in psy...

Technical Term Full entry →

Catatonia

Advanced Technical IVT

A psychomotor syndrome characterized by marked abnormalities in movement, speech, and behavior.

Technical Term Full entry →

Circumstantiality

Intermediate Technical IVT

A thought disorder characterized by including excessive unnecessary details before eventually reaching the point.

Technical Term Full entry →

Clang Association

Professional Technical IVT

A thought disorder characterized by speech patterns based on sound similarity rather than meaning.

Technical Term Full entry →

cognitive-behavioral therapy

Intermediate Technical IVT

Evidence-based therapeutic approach that addresses the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to modify...

CBT
Technical Term Full entry →

Competency Evaluation

Professional Formal IVT

A clinical assessment to determine a patient's legal capacity to make informed decisions.

Document Type Full entry →

countertransference

Advanced Technical IVT

Therapist's emotional reactions and unconscious responses to a client that may interfere with or inform the therapeutic...

Technical Term Full entry →

COWS

Professional Technical IVT

Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale - a standardized assessment tool for measuring the severity of opioid withdrawal sympto...

Assessment Tool Full entry →

crisis intervention

Intermediate Technical IVT

Short-term therapeutic approach designed to help individuals in acute psychological distress develop immediate coping st...

Technical Term Full entry →

dialectical behavior therapy

Advanced Technical IVT

Evidence-based therapy combining cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and distress tolerance skills, origina...

DBT
Technical Term Full entry →

DSM-5

Intermediate Technical IVT

The standard classification system for mental disorders used by psychiatric professionals for diagnosis and treatment pl...

Document Type Full entry →

Dystonic Reaction

Professional Technical IVT

An acute involuntary muscle contraction caused by antipsychotic medications.

Technical Term Full entry →

EMDR

Professional Technical IVT

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - a psychotherapy approach using bilateral stimulation to process traumati...

Treatment Modality Full entry →
Showing 1–24 of 100

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