Mental health articles
OF mental health care and mentally ill
Important items of mental state examination
Appearance: attire, cleanliness; posture and gait
Behaviour: facial expression; cooperation or aggression; activity, agitation, level of arousal (including physiological signs)
Speech: form and pattern; volume and rate; is it coherent, logical and congruent with questioning?
Mood: apathetic, irritable, labile; optimistic or pessimistic; thoughts of suicide; do reported experience and observable mood agree?
Thought: particular preoccupations; ideas and beliefs; are they rational, fi xed or delusional? Do they concern the safety of the patient or other people?
Perception: abnormalities including hallucinations occurring in any modality (auditory, visual, smell, taste, touch)
Intellect: brief note of cognitive and intellectual function; is the patient orientated in time, place and person? Is the patient able to function intellectually at a level expected from his or her history?
Insight: how does the patient explain or attribute his or her symptoms?
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