Psychiatric Symptoms and the Mental Status Examination

Question 1

Four goals of medical intervention

Answer 1

Prevent Death
Prevent Disability
Decrease Suffering
Increase Fxn

Question 2

Situations in which you would report a patient

Answer 2

Harm to self/others

child/elder abuse

Question 3

List the 12 Component Parts of a Mental Status Exam

Answer 3

1. Appearance, Attitude, Behavior
2. Mood
3. Affect
4. Speech
5. Thought Process
6. Thought Content
7. Insight
8. Intellectual and Cognitive Function
9. Judgment
10. Impulsivity
11. Reliability
12. Summary

Question 4

What is Mood?

Affect?

Answer 4

Mood = Emotional State You Are In
Affect = The Way you express emotion

Question 5

What are obsessions and compulsions?

Answer 5

Obsession – Intrusive, unwanted images/thoughts

Compulsion – Physical response to obsession

Question 6

Define hypnokotic hallucinations

Answer 6

Disturbed perceptions while falling asleep

Question 7

Define hypnopompic hallucinations

Answer 7

Disturbed perceptions while awakening

Question 8

On a mini-mental state exam, what score indicates a normal patient? One at risk for dementia?

Answer 8

Normal = 30
Worry = 24-25

Question 9

What is insight?

Answer 9

The patient’s self-awareness that one does or does not have a problem

Question 10

What is judgement in a mental evaluation?

Answer 10

Patient’s ability to appreciate the effects of their behavior on their own future and the wellbeing of others.

Question 11

What is dissociation?

Answer 11

Splitting off clusters of mental contents from conscious awareness

Question 12

What is intellectualization?

Answer 12

Engagement in abstract thinking to ward off conflict or disturbing feelings

Question 13

What is projection?

Answer 13

What is emotionally unacceptable in the self is unconsciously rejected and attributed to others

Question 14

What is rationalization?

Answer 14

Individual attempts to make unacceptable feelings by justification.

Question 15

What is reaction formation?

Answer 15

Person adopts ideas and behaviors that are the opposite of impulses harbored consciously or unconsciously

Question 16

<p>What is repression?</p>

Answer 16

<p>Burying a painful feeling or thought from your awareness though it may resurface in symbolic form. Sometimes considered a basis of other defense mechanisms.</p>

Question 17

What is substitution?

Answer 17

An unacceptable emotion is replaced by one that is more acceptable.