Psychiatric Assessment & MSE Practice Exam
(150 Questions)
1. A patient presents with poor hygiene, disheveled clothing, and a
flat affect. This is best described as which aspect of the MSE?
a. Thought content
b. Mood
c. Affect
d. Appearance
Rationale: Appearance refers to the observable aspects of a patient’s
physical presentation, including grooming, dress, and overall hygiene.
2. A patient reports feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless most of the
day for the past two weeks. Which component of the MSE is being
assessed?
a. Thought process
b. Mood
c. Affect
d. Cognition
Rationale: Mood reflects the patient’s sustained emotional state,
often assessed through self-report.
3. A patient states, "I hear voices telling me I am worthless." This is
an example of:
a. Illusion
b. Hallucination
c. Delusion
d. Thought insertion
Rationale: Hallucinations are perceptual experiences without external
stimuli; hearing voices is an auditory hallucination.
, 4. A patient believes the government is monitoring their thoughts
through the television. This is an example of:
a. Obsession
b. Compulsion
c. Delusion
d. Confabulation
Rationale: Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that are not amenable to
reason or contradictory evidence.
5. The ability to focus, sustain, and shift attention during an
interview assesses which cognitive function?
a. Memory
b. Attention
c. Insight
d. Judgment
Rationale: Attention refers to the patient’s ability to concentrate and
maintain focus on tasks or conversations.
6. A patient suddenly changes topics in conversation with no clear
connection between ideas. This thought pattern is called:
a. Flight of ideas
b. Circumstantiality
c. Loose associations
d. Perseveration
Rationale: Loose associations are disorganized thought processes
where ideas are poorly connected or unrelated.
7. A patient repeats the same word or phrase in response to
different questions. This is known as:
a. Echolalia
b. Perseveration
, c. Word salad
d. Clanging
Rationale: Perseveration is the repetition of a response, phrase, or
gesture beyond the context in which it is appropriate.
8. When a patient shows normal emotional expression that is
appropriate to context, this is described as:
a. Flat affect
b. Blunted affect
c. Appropriate affect
d. Labile affect
Rationale: Affect refers to the observable expression of emotion;
appropriate affect matches the situation and verbal content.
9. Asking a patient to recall three unrelated words after five minutes
assesses:
a. Attention
b. Recent memory
c. Remote memory
d. Orientation
Rationale: Recent memory evaluates the ability to recall information
from the recent past, often within minutes to hours.
10. A patient demonstrates awareness of their illness and need
for treatment. This is referred to as:
a. Insight
b. Insight
c. Judgment
d. Reality testing
Rationale: Insight involves recognition of one’s own mental health
condition and understanding the necessity for intervention.
, 11. A patient reports believing that a celebrity is sending them
secret messages through the television. This is an example of:
a. Idea of reference
b. Delusion
c. Hallucination
d. Obsession
Rationale: An idea of reference is a type of delusion where the patient
misinterprets external events as having personal significance.
12. Asking a patient the date, location, and current president
tests:
a. Memory
b. Orientation
c. Attention
d. Insight
Rationale: Orientation assesses awareness of time, place, and person.
13. A patient shows exaggerated and rapidly shifting emotional
expressions. This is known as:
a. Flat affect
b. Labile affect
c. Blunted affect
d. Incongruent affect
Rationale: Labile affect involves rapid and extreme changes in
emotion that may be inappropriate for context.
14. Recurrent, intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety are called:
a. Hallucinations
b. Compulsions
c. Obsessions
d. Delusions
(150 Questions)
1. A patient presents with poor hygiene, disheveled clothing, and a
flat affect. This is best described as which aspect of the MSE?
a. Thought content
b. Mood
c. Affect
d. Appearance
Rationale: Appearance refers to the observable aspects of a patient’s
physical presentation, including grooming, dress, and overall hygiene.
2. A patient reports feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless most of the
day for the past two weeks. Which component of the MSE is being
assessed?
a. Thought process
b. Mood
c. Affect
d. Cognition
Rationale: Mood reflects the patient’s sustained emotional state,
often assessed through self-report.
3. A patient states, "I hear voices telling me I am worthless." This is
an example of:
a. Illusion
b. Hallucination
c. Delusion
d. Thought insertion
Rationale: Hallucinations are perceptual experiences without external
stimuli; hearing voices is an auditory hallucination.
, 4. A patient believes the government is monitoring their thoughts
through the television. This is an example of:
a. Obsession
b. Compulsion
c. Delusion
d. Confabulation
Rationale: Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that are not amenable to
reason or contradictory evidence.
5. The ability to focus, sustain, and shift attention during an
interview assesses which cognitive function?
a. Memory
b. Attention
c. Insight
d. Judgment
Rationale: Attention refers to the patient’s ability to concentrate and
maintain focus on tasks or conversations.
6. A patient suddenly changes topics in conversation with no clear
connection between ideas. This thought pattern is called:
a. Flight of ideas
b. Circumstantiality
c. Loose associations
d. Perseveration
Rationale: Loose associations are disorganized thought processes
where ideas are poorly connected or unrelated.
7. A patient repeats the same word or phrase in response to
different questions. This is known as:
a. Echolalia
b. Perseveration
, c. Word salad
d. Clanging
Rationale: Perseveration is the repetition of a response, phrase, or
gesture beyond the context in which it is appropriate.
8. When a patient shows normal emotional expression that is
appropriate to context, this is described as:
a. Flat affect
b. Blunted affect
c. Appropriate affect
d. Labile affect
Rationale: Affect refers to the observable expression of emotion;
appropriate affect matches the situation and verbal content.
9. Asking a patient to recall three unrelated words after five minutes
assesses:
a. Attention
b. Recent memory
c. Remote memory
d. Orientation
Rationale: Recent memory evaluates the ability to recall information
from the recent past, often within minutes to hours.
10. A patient demonstrates awareness of their illness and need
for treatment. This is referred to as:
a. Insight
b. Insight
c. Judgment
d. Reality testing
Rationale: Insight involves recognition of one’s own mental health
condition and understanding the necessity for intervention.
, 11. A patient reports believing that a celebrity is sending them
secret messages through the television. This is an example of:
a. Idea of reference
b. Delusion
c. Hallucination
d. Obsession
Rationale: An idea of reference is a type of delusion where the patient
misinterprets external events as having personal significance.
12. Asking a patient the date, location, and current president
tests:
a. Memory
b. Orientation
c. Attention
d. Insight
Rationale: Orientation assesses awareness of time, place, and person.
13. A patient shows exaggerated and rapidly shifting emotional
expressions. This is known as:
a. Flat affect
b. Labile affect
c. Blunted affect
d. Incongruent affect
Rationale: Labile affect involves rapid and extreme changes in
emotion that may be inappropriate for context.
14. Recurrent, intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety are called:
a. Hallucinations
b. Compulsions
c. Obsessions
d. Delusions
