o Inquire after substance use before and after the violations occurred and whether substances are used to cope with psychological problems. • Mental status examination o Note the person’s appearance, such as signs of malnutrition, lack of cleanliness, speech, mood, and thought content. • Assessment of social function o Inquire into the individual’s daily activities, social role, social and recreational activities and perception of health status. • Psychological testing and the use of checklists/questionnaires o Consider using standard forms when an interviewee has difficulty expressing in words his or her experiences and symptoms. 149 These factors may subsequently allow trained clinicians to formulate a clinical impression for the purposes of reporting psychological information concerning serious human rights violations. While unofficial investigators’ observations may assist trained clinicians in the formulation of their impressions, it is important to note that recommendations of medical treatment can only be made by a trained medical professional. 150 Thus, do not make any medical-type of recommendations to the victim, witness or anyone else concerned. 3.5 Documenting Sexual and Gender-Based Violence This section discusses particular guidelines that should be taken into account when documenting sexual and gender-based violence. As with the rest of this Handbook, the purpose of the guidelines is to minimize harm to individuals and to maximize the probative and potential evidentiary value of information. The information in this section should be read in conjunction with the rest of the Handbook’s guidelines and in particular, the ethical principles that were discussed in Chapter 2. With regard to these specific 149 United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ("Istanbul Protocol"), para. 275, HR/P/PT/8/Rev.1 (2004), available at: http://www.ohchr.org/documents/publications/training8rev1en.pdf. 150 United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ("Istanbul Protocol"), para. 291, HR/P/PT/8/Rev.1 (2004), available at: http://www.ohchr.org/documents/publications/training8rev1en.pdf. 107