Psychiatric Interview and MSE

Question 1

What are the requirements when taking an interview?

Answer 1

• Both interviewer and patient should be near the door, Use simple language

Question 2

History: What’s included in the…
Presenting Complaint?

Past Psychiatry History?

Past Medical History?

Family History?

Personal History? What is a Premorbid personality?

Social History?

Answer 2

• When did it start, Onset, Exacerbating and Relieving factors, Severity, How does it affect other parts of your life (Similar to SOCRATES)
• Previous treatment, Admissions, Medication, and side effects
• • Physical conditions that have direct psychiatric effects, or side effects of therapy
  • Medication; Current medication, Allergies, Smoking/Alcohol, Dependence
• Mental and physical illness in family, Supports, Dependents
• • Look at chronological picture of patient’s life (Birth, Pregnancy, Childhood, School, Forensic history)
  • Premorbid Personality = how they were like before becoming unwell? Take history from others to find this information
• Relationships, Living situation, Financial, Activities

Question 3

Mental State Examination (MSE):
What is the acronym used to remember the components of this exam?

What is looked for in Appearance and Behaviour?

What is looked for in Speech?

What is looked for in Mood and Affect?

What is looked for in Thoughts? What questions are asked?

What is looked for in Perceptions? What question can be asked?

What is looked for in Cognition?

What questions are asked to know if they have Insight?

Answer 3

• ABS MAT PCI
• Clothes, Eye contact, Calm/Agitated, Rapport, Reactions to you and others (Open/Warm, Hostile/Guarded, Scared/Avoidant)
• Rate, Tone, Volume, Rhythm, Hesitation
• • Subjective mood; how patient describes their mood
  • Objective mood; what you observe their mood to be
  • Affect; how patient’s mood changes during interview
• Train of thought and Content; Going off tangent, Delusions, Suicidal thoughts
  • Thoughts; Do your thoughts make sense to you?, Do your thoughts feel jumbled? Do you notice your thoughts stopping unexpectedly?
  • Delusion; Do you feel under the control of some force? Do you have any special powers?
  • Suicide; Sometimes when one feels low/stressed, they may think of harming/ending their lives, have you ever felt this way? How do you see your future?
• Hallucinations, Illusions, Depersonalisation (Think they aren’t real), Derealisation (Think world isn’t real)
  • Do you hear voices when no one else is around or that no one else can hear?
• Orientation, Concentration, Memory
• What do you think is happening? Do you think you’re unwell? What do you think will help? What do you think about your current treatment?