Mental Status Examination Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Mental Status Examination?
Mental Status Examination (MSE) is an important tool used by clinicians and mental health professionals to assess the psychological functioning of a patient. It is a structured way of observing and recording information about the patient’s reported subjective experiences as well as his or her current behavior. The MSE allows the clinician to assess the patient’s overall level of functioning and identify areas that may need further evaluation or treatment.The MSE consists of several components, including an assessment of the patient’s appearance and behavior; an inquiry into their current circumstances, mood, thought process, and concentration; assessment of insight and judgement; evaluation of memory; language testing; psychomotor activity; assessment of perceptual disturbance; self-reporting on psychiatric symptoms; review of past medical history relevant to mental health, including family history; review of social history relevant to mental health concerns such as substance use or trauma exposure. Clinicians typically record observations in brief descriptive statements that are based on diagnostic criteria from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM). The MSE provides data for both diagnosis and treatment planning. By providing insight into how a person is currently functioning cognitively, emotionally, socially, vocationally and spiritually it helps guide decisions about what type(s) of treatment may be most effective for an individual at various stages in their illness. It also helps clinicians differentiate between physical disorders that present with similar symptoms but require different treatments like schizophrenia versus depression versus bipolar disorder. Furthermore, the MSE can help identify areas where additional support services or environmental changes may be helpful in improving functioning in all areas life such as social skills training or increasing participation in leisure activities. Overall, it is important for clinicians to understand when a Mental Status Examination is appropriate for their patients so they can provide accurate diagnosis’ and evidence-based treatments options tailored to each individual’s needs.