Behavioral and Mental Health Assessment
Mental Disorder: a clinically significant behavioral, emotional, or cognitive syndrome that is associated with
significant distress or disability involving:
1. Social
2. Occupational
3. Self-care activities
- Organic Disorders: (caused by brain disease ) delirium, dementia, or alcohol/ drug intoxication
- Psychiatric Mental Disorders: anxiety, schizophrenia
Pediatric Considerations Mental Status Exam
- 1/5 have mental illness Utilized to establish a psychiatric diagnosis, assess cognitive
- Behavioral changes are the most
common symptoms health, and to assess behavioral health
- Changes in school performance Exam uses: observations, impressions, and interpretation to
excessive worrying, avoiding school/
bedtime, hyperactivity, nightmares, help formulate an accurate diagnosis
frequent disobedience, aggression, and Changes in, mental status warrant a thorough evaluation to
temper tantrums should be examined
determine cause
Mental Health: defined as “a state of well- being in which
every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope
with normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully, and can contribute to his/ her community”
Consciousness: Being aware of one's own
existence, feelings, and thoughts and of the
environment. This is the most elementary of mental
status functions. Language: using voice to communicate ones
thoughts and feelings – basic tool and has heavy
Orientation: Person, place, time
social impact
Mood/ Affect : Prevaling feelings, Affect is a
temporary expression of feelings or state of mind
Mood : durable, more prolonged display of feelings
that color the whole emotional life
Attention: the power of concentration, the ability
to focus on one specific thing without being
distracted by environmental stimuli
Memory : the ability to lay down and store
experiences and perceptions to utilize later
Abstract Reasoning: pondering deeper meaning
beyond the concrete and literal
Perceptions: an awareness of objects through the
Thought Process: The way a person thinks- the five senses
logical train of thought
Thought Content: what a person thinks – specific
beliefs, ideas, and the use of words
, Mental Status Exam Components
LOC: Level of Consciousness (utilizing a GCS)
When using the Glasgow Coma Scale:
- 15 is the highest score possible
- Equal or less that 8= comatose
- Equal or less that than 3 =
unresponsive
Appearance
- Indicative of mental status
- ADL’s – dressing and grooming are some of the first behaviors impacted by mental health
o Severe depression/ Psychotic – usually present looking disheveled and have poor hygiene
- Assessment : posture, dress, grooming, and physical appearance (marks/ tattoos ) , facial expressions,
nonverbal communication, attitude, and even level of alertness
Behavior
- How the patient presents themselves during the exam
- Eye contact, psychomotor activity (increased or decreased), movements, mannerisms, stereotypes, posturing
o Are responses appropriate to the situation?
o Is the patient overly defensive/ using posturing
o Are they able to sit still/ or are they pacing
o Gait : slow , coordinated, excessive?
Speech/ Language
- general speech qualities: including rate, rhythm, latency, volume, and content
o Is the speech fast or slow?
o Is the rhythm monotone or slurred?
Mental Disorder: a clinically significant behavioral, emotional, or cognitive syndrome that is associated with
significant distress or disability involving:
1. Social
2. Occupational
3. Self-care activities
- Organic Disorders: (caused by brain disease ) delirium, dementia, or alcohol/ drug intoxication
- Psychiatric Mental Disorders: anxiety, schizophrenia
Pediatric Considerations Mental Status Exam
- 1/5 have mental illness Utilized to establish a psychiatric diagnosis, assess cognitive
- Behavioral changes are the most
common symptoms health, and to assess behavioral health
- Changes in school performance Exam uses: observations, impressions, and interpretation to
excessive worrying, avoiding school/
bedtime, hyperactivity, nightmares, help formulate an accurate diagnosis
frequent disobedience, aggression, and Changes in, mental status warrant a thorough evaluation to
temper tantrums should be examined
determine cause
Mental Health: defined as “a state of well- being in which
every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope
with normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully, and can contribute to his/ her community”
Consciousness: Being aware of one's own
existence, feelings, and thoughts and of the
environment. This is the most elementary of mental
status functions. Language: using voice to communicate ones
thoughts and feelings – basic tool and has heavy
Orientation: Person, place, time
social impact
Mood/ Affect : Prevaling feelings, Affect is a
temporary expression of feelings or state of mind
Mood : durable, more prolonged display of feelings
that color the whole emotional life
Attention: the power of concentration, the ability
to focus on one specific thing without being
distracted by environmental stimuli
Memory : the ability to lay down and store
experiences and perceptions to utilize later
Abstract Reasoning: pondering deeper meaning
beyond the concrete and literal
Perceptions: an awareness of objects through the
Thought Process: The way a person thinks- the five senses
logical train of thought
Thought Content: what a person thinks – specific
beliefs, ideas, and the use of words
, Mental Status Exam Components
LOC: Level of Consciousness (utilizing a GCS)
When using the Glasgow Coma Scale:
- 15 is the highest score possible
- Equal or less that 8= comatose
- Equal or less that than 3 =
unresponsive
Appearance
- Indicative of mental status
- ADL’s – dressing and grooming are some of the first behaviors impacted by mental health
o Severe depression/ Psychotic – usually present looking disheveled and have poor hygiene
- Assessment : posture, dress, grooming, and physical appearance (marks/ tattoos ) , facial expressions,
nonverbal communication, attitude, and even level of alertness
Behavior
- How the patient presents themselves during the exam
- Eye contact, psychomotor activity (increased or decreased), movements, mannerisms, stereotypes, posturing
o Are responses appropriate to the situation?
o Is the patient overly defensive/ using posturing
o Are they able to sit still/ or are they pacing
o Gait : slow , coordinated, excessive?
Speech/ Language
- general speech qualities: including rate, rhythm, latency, volume, and content
o Is the speech fast or slow?
o Is the rhythm monotone or slurred?
