Descriptive psychopathology

Question 1

Define thought echo

Answer 1

the individual hears their thoughts spoken aloud, either simultaneously (as thinking the thought) or just afterwards.

Question 2

Define thought insertion

Answer 2

the patient believes somebody or something is ‘planting’ thoughts into their mind. This happens against the person’s will.

Question 3

Define thought broadcast

Answer 3

the patient believes their thoughts are ‘broadcast’ to others against their will

Question 4

Define thought withdrawal

Answer 4

the patient believes thoughts are being removed from their mind against their will, and this leaves the mind ‘blank’.

Question 5

Define thought blocking

Answer 5

suddenly halts in thought process and can’t continue

Question 6

Define somatic passivity

Answer 6

the patient believes that their movements,
emotions or will is being altered in a similar way to the thought issues, for examples, they believe their movements are being controlled.

Question 7

Define incongruity of affect

Answer 7

the patient may burst out laughing or become very
angry for no apparent reason, or they may have inappropriate emotional reactions

Question 8

Define flight of thought

Answer 8

this is where the patient moves quickly from one idea to another, often half-way through a sentence, with no apparent association
between ideas.

Question 9

Define pressure of speech

Answer 9

the patient speaks at a rate faster than normal

Question 10

Define poverty of thought

Answer 10

The patient is able to answer questions, but their thought process is not properly utilised and they cannot explain their answers.

Question 11

Define poverty of speech

Answer 11

• patient will give very short answers, and will not voluntarily give any input to a conversation
• unable to elaborate on their thoughts
• feels as though their ‘mind is empty’.

Question 12

Define blunting of affect

Answer 12

person has a lack of emotion

Question 13

Define stupor

Answer 13

patient is unable to move or speak except for moving their eyes

Question 14

Define perseveration

Answer 14

repetition of words/ ideas when another changes topic

Question 15

Define circumstantiality

Answer 15

focus of the conversation drifts but often comes back to the point (long-windedness)

Question 16

Define derailment

Answer 16

patient moves from one topic to another with strange illogical associations between the ideas.

Question 17

Define neologism

Answer 17

patient may make up a new word, or give an existing word a new meaning that is only
apparent to the individual, and does not make sense.

Question 18

Define confabulations

Answer 18

false/ distorted memories that people create without intending to deceive

Question 19

Define La belle indifference

Answer 19

describes a patient’s lack of emotional distress/ concern about their symptoms

Question 20

Define conversion disorder

Answer 20

mental health condition that causes physical symptoms with no underlying neurological cause
(functional neurological disorder)

Question 21

Define catatonia

Answer 21

a state where the person may not respond to stimuli and exhibits strange physical behaviour. The state may involve a particular movement or posture that a patient often performs.