Observe and engage
Describe appearance, behaviour and speech without judgement.
MEDIVEERSETHE PRACTICAL HUBOBSERVE / REASON / EXPLAIN
Mental state examination
Organise a respectful mental state examination.
Your practical station
During a teaching interview, organise your observations and questions into a clear mental state summary.
Recognise and interpret
The mental state examination describes findings at the time of assessment alongside the history.
- Observe and engage
- Explore experience
- Summarise
Explore experience
Assess mood, affect, thought and perception through appropriate questions.
Summarise
Include cognition, insight, relevant risks and limitations.
At the viva table
Try answering aloud, then open the suggested answer. Examiner questions vary.
01 / Are mood and affect identical?
Mood is the reported emotional state; affect is the observed emotional expression.
02 / Is the mental state examination the entire psychiatric history?
No. It is one component of assessment.
03 / Why use the person’s own words?
They help distinguish reported experience from interpretation.
04 / Can one observation establish a diagnosis?
Usually not; consider history, duration, function and context.