The Psychiatric Interview

Question 1

what is the major difference b/w other patient interviews and the psychiatric interview. This is psychiatry’s equivalent of the PE.

Answer 1

Mental Status Exam

Question 2

what can give you a key to the severity of a condition

Answer 2

hospitalization history

Question 3

This is where you ask screening questions to find out if there are other psychiatric diagnoses to consider and treat.

Answer 3

PROS (psychiatric review of systems)

Question 4

what family history is particularly important

Answer 4

History of completed suicides

History of substance abuse

Question 5

what is the Bio-psycho-social format

Answer 5

Bio- age, sex, diagnoses, med conditions
Psycho- Personality, defenses, issues w/ trust, control self-esteem
social- social, family community

Question 6

Classifies psychiatric illnesses according to a criteria-based diagnostic approach, requiring the following 3 conditions to be met:
Disorder isn’t caused by the direct effects of any drug
Disorder isn’t caused by the effects of a medical condition
There is significant impairment of social functioning, occupational functioning, or both

Answer 6

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

Question 7

what is axis I

Answer 7

mental illness diagnosis

Question 8

what is Axis II

Answer 8

personality disorder

mental retardation

Question 9

What is Axis III

Answer 9

medical diagnoses

Question 10

what is Axis IV

Answer 10

social stressors

Question 11

what is Axis V

Answer 11

global level of functioning (between 0-100)
20= severe impairment, needs hospitalization
45-65= outpatient

Question 12

Rate, rhythm, volume, amount, articulation

Answer 12

speech

Question 13

Observations by the examiner about how the patient is feeling
Full range, labile, inappropriate, decreased range, sad, happy, etc.

Answer 13

affect

Question 14

sustained emotion that the patient is feeling”
Is described by the patient
Depressed, OK, elated, etc.

Answer 14

mood

Question 15

what thoughts should you always ask a patient about

Answer 15

suicidal or homicidal ideation

Question 16

what do you Measure by serial 7s or serial 3s or “world” spelled backwards

Answer 16

attention/ concentration

Question 17

Estimation of below/average/above intellect

Test by general fund of knowledge, language used, proverbs, concentration tests, memory tests

Answer 17

cognitive function

Question 18

Awareness of his/her illness and need for treatment

Answer 18

insight

Question 19

Poor, good

Test by “What would you do if there were a fire in the movie theatre?”

Answer 19

judgment

Question 20

A screening instrument used
to identify patients with cognitive problems
To follow the progress of patients with cognitive problems
Often used to screen for dementia

Answer 20

Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE)

Question 21

what score on MMSE indicates cognitive impairment

Answer 21

Score <23 (out of 30 total)

Question 22

what are the 5 areas where the MMSE tests cognitive function

Answer 22

Orientation
Registration
Attention and calculation
Recall
Language