1. Length of the interview
Although several structured and semi-structured interviews exist in the psychiatric literature, none was designed to be used by psychiatrists in the real world of psychiatric practice. The SCIP interview serves as a diagnostic tool that takes the same amount of time as a typical psychiatric diagnostic interview, usually 30-45 minutes for a new intake. It allows clinicians to maintain therapeutic rapport with patients.
2. Reliable and validated SCIP scales
The SCIP is the only diagnostic tool with 18 inherent rating scales for the following domains: anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, posttraumatic stress, depression, mania, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, aggression, negative symptoms, alcohol use, drug use, attention deficit, hyperactivity, anorexia, binge-eating, and bulimia. Each SCIP rating scale takes only 2-5 minutes for a clinician to complete. Designed specifically for psychiatrists to use in real clinical settings, the SCIP functions as a measurement-based care (MBC) tool and is compatible with electronic health records (EHR). The SCIP rating scales meet MBC criteria because they are efficient, reliable, valid, reflect how clinicians assess psychiatric disorders, and are relevant to decision-making. Additionally, 15 self-administered versions of the SCIP scales have been developed for adult symptom domains. The SCIP is the only diagnostic interview that reliably measures 230 symptoms and signs of
adult psychopathology.
3. Flexibility
The SCIP is flexible and allows clinicians the freedom to administer the interview as they see fit. It begins with the Screening Scale, followed by specific scales as clinically indicated. The Screening Scale includes questions on anxiety, mood, psychosis, alcohol and substance use, somatoform disorders, eating disorders, attention, and hyperactivity symptoms. Clinicians can start with any question they find most appropriate and decide on the episode
or period to evaluate. After using the Screening Scale, the clinician selects the relevant scale(s) to make an appropriate diagnosis. When exploring multiple scales, the clinician can start with any scale they find suitable. No other structured or semi-structured interview currently offers such flexibility, as the SCIP leverages clinicians' expertise in conducting diagnostic interviews.
4. Three Types of Output
The SCIP is the only instrument designed to produce three types of output: numeric data for symptoms and their severity, dimensional scores for 18 clusters of symptoms (generalized anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, post-traumatic stress, depression, mania, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, aggression, negative symptoms, alcohol use, drug use, attention deficit, hyperactivity, anorexia, binge-eating, and bulimia), and disorder categories according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and
International Classification of Diseases (ICD) criteria.
5. Beyond DSM-5 and ICD-10
The building blocks of the SCIP are the symptoms and signs of psychopathology. Regardless of whether we use ICD-11, DSM-5, or future editions, the phenomenology of mental disorders stays the same, ensuring that the SCIP remains relevant despite changes in diagnostic criteria. For example, although the SCIP was developed and tested before the DSM-5 was published in 2013, it includes the main criteria needed to diagnose the new DSM-5 disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (irritable mood, verbal and physical aggression, manic and hypomanic episodes). Clinicians inquire about the frequency, duration, and onset of temper outbursts to determine if the patient meets the criteria for this diagnosis.
6. Dual function (clinical management and research)
The SCIP is the only instrument that converts routine clinical information into data suitable for research. Psychiatrists evaluate thousands of patients daily, generating numerous records like psychiatric evaluations and progress notes, primarily used for clinical management. The SCIP maintains its clinical management function while also producing research-ready data. Transforming all psychiatric interviews into research data could significantly enhance the potential for scientific inquiry.