Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards

What components are included in a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation?

Answer: Chief complaint, psychiatric history, medical history, substance use, family history, mental status exam, and risk assessment

A thorough psychiatric evaluation includes the presenting complaint, complete psychiatric and medical history, substance use assessment, family psychiatric history, social/developmental history, mental status examination, and risk assessment.

What are the key components of the Mental Status Examination (MSE)?

Answer: Appearance, behavior, speech, mood, affect, thought process, thought content, perception, cognition, insight, and judgment

The MSE systematically evaluates appearance, psychomotor behavior, speech, mood (patient's report), affect (observed emotion), thought process, thought content, perceptions, cognition, insight, and judgment.

What distinguishes a mood disorder from an anxiety disorder in DSM-5?

Answer: Mood disorders primarily involve disturbances in emotional state (depression, mania); anxiety disorders involve excessive fear and worry about future threats

Mood disorders (MDD, bipolar) involve pathological mood states, while anxiety disorders (GAD, panic, social anxiety) primarily involve excessive fear, worry, and avoidance behaviors, though significant overlap exists.

What is the difference between psychosis and delirium?

Answer: Psychosis involves impaired reality testing (hallucinations, delusions) with clear consciousness; delirium involves fluctuating consciousness and attention

Psychosis involves impaired reality testing with preserved consciousness, while delirium features fluctuating awareness, inattention, and often has an identifiable medical cause requiring urgent evaluation.

What is the biopsychosocial model in psychiatry?

Answer: An integrative approach considering biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding and treating mental illness

The biopsychosocial model, developed by George Engel, considers the interaction of biological factors (genetics, neurochemistry), psychological factors (coping, personality), and social factors (relationships, culture) in mental health.

What is a suicide risk assessment and what are its key elements?

Answer: A structured evaluation of risk and protective factors including ideation, plan, intent, means access, and history of attempts

Suicide risk assessment evaluates ideation (passive vs. active), plan specificity, intent, means access, previous attempts, risk factors (psychiatric illness, substance use, loss), and protective factors (social support, reasons for living).