Personalhistory?The main purpose of taking a detailed personal history is to try toidentify factors that may have made the patient vulnerable to developing apsychiatric illness,ormaymakethe illness difficulttotreat.The personal history is divided into the following categoriesEarly development.Thedate of birth and anyobstetric complicationsprior to or during delivery should be noted. Factors indicating anydevelopmental delay should berecorded (e.g.latemilestones).Anychildhood illnesses, particularly meningitis or encephalitis,or brain or headinjuries shouldbe noted.Otherillnesses,such as diabetes,whichmayhaveresultedinlongseparations fromparents becauseof admissionsto hospitalshould benoted
Personal history The main purpose of taking a detailed personal history is to try to identify factors that may have made the patient vulnerable to developing a psychiatric illness, or may make the illness difficult to treat. The personal history is divided into the following categories. Early development. The date of birth and any obstetric complications prior to or during delivery should be noted. Factors indicating any developmental delay should be recorded (e.g. late milestones). Any childhood illnesses, particularly meningitis or encephalitis, or brain or head injuries should be noted. Other illnesses, such as diabetes, which may have resulted in long separations from parents because of admissions to hospital, should be noted
Home andenvironment It is important to gain some of impression of thepatient's childhood experiences and the general level of support and loveprovided within the family. It is particularly important to elicit whether thereis any evidence of parental neglect or childhood physical orsexual abuse.: School. Academic achievement should be noted and the age at leavingschool.Relationships with peers andteachers (authority figures)should bebriefly described.Was the patient able to make and maintain friendshipswhen he/she was a child?In particular, it is important to know whetherthere is any history of bullying or being bullied at school,truanting or otheraberrantbehaviour
• Home and environment It is important to gain some of impression of the patient’s childhood experiences and the general level of support and love provided within the family. It is particularly important to elicit whether there is any evidence of parental neglect or childhood physical or sexual abuse. • School. Academic achievement should be noted and the age at leaving school. Relationships with peers and teachers (authority figures) should be briefly described. Was the patient able to make and maintain friendships when he/she was a child? In particular, it is important to know whether there is any history of bullying or being bullied at school, truanting or other aberrant behaviour