The mental status examination

Abstract

The Mental Status Examination represents a crucial part of the psychiatric interview in that it is devoted to a systematic elicitation of psychopathologic signs and symptoms that are important in diagnosis and differential diagnosis. It is an essential tool for all psychiatrists and mental health professionals, but in abbreviated form, it is an important tool for all physicians. The present chapter which is derived from the author's teaching experience to medical students, psychiatry residents, and family physicians considers both classical and modern psychopathologic concepts. It is divided into appearance and behavior, psychomotor activity, affect and mood, speech, thinking, perceptual disturbances, orientation, attention and memory, as well as reliability, judgment and insight. Finally, common errors in mental status in clinical evaluation are discussed.