Mental Health Assessment Flashcards
Tangentiality
Verbalizations that are lengthy and tedious and because of numerous details are delayed or never reach an intended point- answering the question without actually answering the question
Concrete Thinking
Thinking is literal; elemental, Absence of ability to think abstractly.
Loose Associations
Verbalizations shift from one unrelated topic to another. There is lack of a normal logical relationship between thoughts and ideas that makes speech and thought inexact, vague, and unfocused.
Clang Associations
Speaking in puns or rhymes; using words that sound alike but have different meanings.
Word Salad
Using a mixture of words that have no meaning together, sounding incoherent
Neologisms
The individual is making up nonsensical sounding words, which only have meaning to him or her- can be a blend of other words
Perseveration
Persistently repeating the last word of a sentence spoken to the client
Pressured Speech
Speech is frenzied and rapid, may be difficult to interpret
Mute
Does not speak, either cannot or does not
Flight of Ideas
Verbalizations are continuous and rapid and flow from one to another. The patients thoughts come so quickly, they cannot completely express one thought before beginning another
Poverty Of Speech
minimal speech, restricted, brief, unelaborated responses
Echolalia
Persistently repeating what another person says
Tangentiality Example
Nurse: “What did you get at the store?”
Patient: “I needed apples, the first apple was red and had a slight
bruise, so I put it back. You don’t want bruised apples; they can
get mushy. The next apple was green and felt a little too firm
which makes it too tart. Tart apples aren’t good to make a pie.
The next apple was red, like the first. It didn’t have any bruises,
but it was missing its stem which just makes it look weird. Since
the other apples weren’t good, I got the last apple I picked up.”
Poverty of speech Example
Speaks very little, one word responses, may be monotone
Concrete Thinking Example
Patient: “If I throw a stone at a glass house, the glass will break”
Pressured Speech Example
Patient: Loudly, quickly, and emphatically proclaims, “I LOVE
shopping! IT’s my favorite hobby, to buy things, pretty things,
sparkling things, can wear them everywhere! I feel like a
princess!”
Mute Example
The patient does not or cannot speak
Perseveration Example
Nurse: “Hi Tim, it’s time for your meds.”
Patient: “meds, meds, meds, meds, meds……”
Echolalia Example
Nurse: “Good morning, Ella.”
Patient: “Good morning, Ella.”
Loose Association Example
Nurse: “Were you a soldier in WWII?”
Patient: “You know, you have to be careful of the Germans
because they are friends with the Swiss and they have all the
cheese and all the watches and that means they have taken all the
time. The worst thing about Swiss cheese is all the holes. People
have to be careful about falling into holes.”
Neologisms Example
Patient states, “When I get out of the hospital, I’m going to buy a
sprogle. Everyone should have a sprogle
Clang Association Example
Patient states, “I will take a pill if I go up the hill, but not if my
name is Jill because I may spill the still”
Flight of Ideas Example
Patient: The sky is pretty. I love blue eyes! My eyes are green.
There is water everywhere. Did you see the bird? I like animals.
Can we go to the zoo? Maybe it will rain today.”
Word Salad Example
Patient: “Because make a twirl in my elephant, my box is broken,
help me purple dinosaur. It may taco brave, I like neutrons, hi..”
