If a clinician is uncertain about a diagnosis, what notation might be included in the written diagnosis?

• A. (F32.2) Major depressive disorder, Single episode, moderate (Provisional Diagnosis)
• B. (F41.1) Generalized anxiety disorder
• C. (F32.2) Major depressive disorder, Single episode, moderate (Provisional Diagnosis)
• D. (F50.0) Anorexia nervosa

Answer: (C)

When there is uncertainty about a diagnosis, clinicians use a provisional diagnosis to flag that the label is tentative and may change as more information becomes available. Including the DSM/ICD code (for example, Major depressive disorder, single episode, moderate) and adding a note like (Provisional Diagnosis) communicates this tentativeness in the written record. This approach guides initial treatment and plans for re-evaluation without committing to a definite label until more data are gathered. Other options that present a firm diagnosis without provisional language, or that name a different disorder, do not reflect the current uncertainty in the assessment.