MSE Definitions

Question 1

Ideas of reference

Answer 1

all events specifically relate to them

Question 2

persecutory delusions

Answer 2

they believe another individual is trying to harm them

Question 3

passivity phenomena

Answer 3

they are not in control of their actions, thoughts, or perceptions

Question 4

formal thought disorder

Answer 4

disorganised thinking as evidenced in speech

Question 5

compulsions

Answer 5

repetitive stereotyped behaviours that are seemingly purposeful

Question 6

coherence

Answer 6

thoughts are in an easy to follow manner

Question 7

loose associations

Answer 7

unable to associate their answer to your question

Question 8

circumstantial thought

Answer 8

adding in lots of unnecessary details to a simple question but does eventually answer the original question

Question 9

tangential thought

Answer 9

adding in lots of unnecessary details to a simple question and does not answer the original question

Question 10

flight of ideas

Answer 10

jumping between thoughts but there are links

Question 11

thought blocking

Answer 11

stop in the middle of sentence “thoughts are blocked”

Question 12

perseveration

Answer 12

repeat the same things over and over again in the conversation

Question 13

neologisms

Answer 13

coming up with new words for things/descriptions

Question 14

poverty of thought

Answer 14

don’t have any thought process in the questions you are asking them

Question 15

grandiose delusions

Answer 15

believe they have special powers, wealthy, have a secret mission, or a different identity

Question 16

paranoid delusions

Answer 16

eg there are microphones in their flat, neighbours are spying on them

Question 17

nihilistic

Answer 17

they are dying from the inside or have already died

Question 18

thought insertion

Answer 18

thoughts have been inserted into their head

Question 19

thought withdrawal

Answer 19

thoughts have been taken out of their head

Question 20

thought broadcasting

Answer 20

everyone can read their thoughts or knows what they are thinking

Question 21

pressure of speech

Answer 21

increased quantity and speed of speech (common in mania)

Question 22

word salad

Answer 22

severe formal thought disorder where patient uses words non-sensically (eg purple monkey dishwater? thursday)

Question 23

logoclonia

Answer 23

patient repeats last syllable of word or phrase

Question 24

monomania

Answer 24

preoccupation with a single subject to a pathological degree

Question 25

echopraxia

Answer 25

imitates another person’s movements

Question 26

clang associations

Answer 26

ideas that are related to each other only by the fact that they sound similar

Question 27

stupor

Answer 27

patients unable to speak or move but remain fully conscious

Question 28

knight’s move thinking

Answer 28

severe lossenign of associations, unexpected illogical leaps from one idea to another