Mental Status Examination Components
These are the three major domains assessed in a mental status examination
What are appearance/behavior, cognitive function, and thought content/process?
This common mood disorder is characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest.
What is depression?
This severe mental disorder is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking
What is schizophrenia?
This brief screening tool is commonly used to assess multiple cognitive domains
What is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)?
This assessment is essential for all psychiatric patients and evaluates intent, plan, and means
What is suicide risk assessment?
This MSE component evaluates a patient's ability to understand their condition and need for treatment
What is insight
This disorder involves alternating periods of elevated mood and depression.
What is bipolar disorder?
Disorganized speech is a key sign of altered function in this cognitive domain.
What is thought process?
These cognitive domains should be assessed: attention, memory, orientation, and this executive function
What is judgment or executive functioning?
Ideas of harming others are elicited through questions about these types of thoughts.
What are troubling or intrusive thoughts?
Observational data about this aspect includes rate, volume, and coherence.
What is speech
In the MSE, this term describes the patient's sustained emotional state as reported by the patient
What is mood?
These false fixed beliefs are best elicited by using cues from the patient's history.
What are delusions?
This cognitive domain involves the ability to recognize objects and people
What is gnosia?
This nursing diagnosis applies to patients who may harm others.
What is risk for other-directed violence?
This MSE domain includes assessment of delusions, hallucinations, and suicidal ideation
What is thought content
This term describes the patient's observable emotional expression during the examination
What is affect?
This MSE finding describes false sensory perceptions without external stimuli.
What are hallucinations?
Assessment of this domain includes asking patients about person, place, and time.
What is orientation?
Direct questions may be needed when patients give these types of answers about harmful thoughts
What are indirect or evasive answers?
The mental status examination helps distinguish between these three broad categories of psychiatric conditions
What are mood disorders, thought disorders, and cognitive impairment?
This seasonal mood disorder typically occurs during winter months
What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?
Assessment of this domain includes evaluating for logical connections and goal-directedness.
What is thought process or form?
This hierarchical approach to cognitive evaluation should be considered when interpreting MSE findings
What is assessing basic functions before complex ones (or hierarchical nature of cognition)?
Mental health signs in this category include self-harm and suicidal ideation
What are risk concerns or risk issues?