Mental State Examination

Question 1

Steps of mental state examination

Answer 1

• Appearance
• Behaviour
• Mood and affect
• Speech
• Abnormal thoughts
• Abnormal beliefs
• Abormal perceptions
• Suicide/homicide
• Cognitive function
• Insight

Question 2

Ask questions using..

Answer 2

SCAN - “we ask everybody this..”

Question 3

Appearance

Answer 3

• Height/build
• Clothing
• Personal hygeine
• Hair, jewellery

Question 4

Behaviour

Answer 4

• Greeting
• Non-verbal cues
• Gesturing
• Abnormal movements
• Co-operative, rapport

Question 5

Mood and affect

Answer 5

• Eye contact
• Mood rating
• Psychomotor function (retarded, agitated)

Question 6

Speech

Answer 6

• Spontaneity
• Volume
• Rate (pressured, slow)
• Rhythm (rhyming and punning)
• Tone
• Dysarthra
• Dysphagia (expressive/receptive)

Question 7

Abnormal thoughts

Answer 7

• Phobias
• Obsessions
• Flight of ideas
• Formal thought disorder
• Derailment

Question 8

Abnormal beliefs

Answer 8

• Preoccupations
• Overvalued ideas
• Delusional beliefs

Question 9

Abnormal perception

Answer 9

• Illusions
• Hallucinations
  
  • Type

Question 10

Suicide/homicide

Answer 10

• Thoughts
• Intent
• Plans (vague/detailed)

Question 11

Cognitive function

Answer 11

• Orientation (time, place, person)
• Attention/concentration
• Short term memory (3 objects, name and address)
• Long term memory (personal history)
• If any concerns
  
  • MSQ, MMSE, MOCA

Question 12

Insight

Answer 12

• 3 questions
  
  • Are symptoms due to illness
  • Is there a mental illness
  • Do they agree with treatment plan