Exploring A Mental Status Examination (MSE)

Mental Status Examination (MSE). MSE is usually not applied to all clients; however, when necessary it could be an useful format to understand the level of client’s psychopathology increase. While applying MSE, a mental health specialist should be mindful of the client’s cultural background, because it is highly associated with cultural differences.

1. Appearance. It is evaluated according to therapist’s observation. Therapist should observe the client’s general appearance by considering the client cultural background. Following items could be related to the client’s mental state. The counselor considers these items weather they are appropriate or not in terms of the client SES.
• Grooming (Hygiene)
• Dress
• Facial expression.
• Perspiration

Affect and mood. Affect refers to the client’s emotional tone observed by the counselor and described in terms of its content or type, range and duration, appropriateness and depth or intensity. On the other hand the client’s mood is evaluated by asking directly such as; “would you describe your

Speech and thought. Speech disturbance may be associated with specific brain disturbance, drug toxicity, Huntington’s chorea etc. Speech is described with volume (how loud), rate, and amount. Such as high (fast or loud), medium (normal or average), low (slow or soft) Thought is evaluated in terms of content and thought process. Thought process refers to how thinking is systematic, organized and logical manner, and its descriptors are: blocking, circumstantiality, clang associations, flight of ideas, loose associations, mutism, neologism, perseveration, tangentially, word salad. It may indicate psychotic disorders, schizotypal personality disorder, manic-hypomanic disorder. Thought content displays what the client thinks, and it includes delusions, obsessions, suicidal or homicidal thoughts or plans, specific phobias, preoccupation with any emotion.
6. Perceptual disturbances are categorized with two disturbances, which are hallucinations (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile) and illusions. They are the indicator of psychotic disorders, brain trauma, some organic conditions etc. The counselor examines these factors by asking some specific questions in sensitive and explorative