Mental status exam (MSE) vocabulary and
definitions ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
well groomed - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅The quality of being clean and neatly dressed
unkempt - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅(adj.) not combed; untidy; not properly maintained;
unpolished, rude
disheveled - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅(adj.) rumpled, mussed; hanging in disorder
mistrustful - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅lack of trust or confidence
withdrawn - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅drawn back or removed from easy approach;
socially detached; unresponsive; introverted
preoccupied - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅engrossed; distracted because one is already
thinking about something else
so active or busy with your thoughts or a task that you do not notice what else is happening
around you
demanding - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅making others work hard or meet high standards
avoidant - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅turning away, withdrawl, defensive behavior
intense eye contact - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅extreme in degree, power, or effect; having
or expressing great depth of feeling
agitated - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅to excite and often trouble the mind or feelings of; to
discuss excitedly and earnestly
, slowed speech - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅moving or proceeding at less than the normal,
desirable, or required speed
slurred speech - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅to speak in a way that is difficult to understand
pressured speech - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Speech that is increased in amount,
accelerated, and difficult or impossible to interrupt. Usually it is also loud and emphatic.
Frequently the person talks without any social stimulation and may continue to talk even
though no one is listening.
grandiose delusion - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Person's false belief that he or she
possesses great wealth, intelligence, or power
persecutory delusion - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Person's false belief that someone is
plotting against him or her with intent to harm
Somatic - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅of, relating to, or affecting the body especially as
distinguished from the psyche : physical
bizarre - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅(adj.) extremely strange, unusual, atypical
nihilistic - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅rejecting all religious and moral principles in the
belief that life is meaningless
believing that life is pointless and human values are worthless
religious - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅focused on conversion, if they saw someone not of
their religion, they took it upon themselves to try to convert them; relating to or manifesting
faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity
autistic - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅onset before 3; three defining features: Qualitative
impairment of social interaction, qualitative impairment of communication, restricted,
repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities
definitions ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
well groomed - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅The quality of being clean and neatly dressed
unkempt - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅(adj.) not combed; untidy; not properly maintained;
unpolished, rude
disheveled - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅(adj.) rumpled, mussed; hanging in disorder
mistrustful - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅lack of trust or confidence
withdrawn - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅drawn back or removed from easy approach;
socially detached; unresponsive; introverted
preoccupied - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅engrossed; distracted because one is already
thinking about something else
so active or busy with your thoughts or a task that you do not notice what else is happening
around you
demanding - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅making others work hard or meet high standards
avoidant - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅turning away, withdrawl, defensive behavior
intense eye contact - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅extreme in degree, power, or effect; having
or expressing great depth of feeling
agitated - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅to excite and often trouble the mind or feelings of; to
discuss excitedly and earnestly
, slowed speech - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅moving or proceeding at less than the normal,
desirable, or required speed
slurred speech - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅to speak in a way that is difficult to understand
pressured speech - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Speech that is increased in amount,
accelerated, and difficult or impossible to interrupt. Usually it is also loud and emphatic.
Frequently the person talks without any social stimulation and may continue to talk even
though no one is listening.
grandiose delusion - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Person's false belief that he or she
possesses great wealth, intelligence, or power
persecutory delusion - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Person's false belief that someone is
plotting against him or her with intent to harm
Somatic - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅of, relating to, or affecting the body especially as
distinguished from the psyche : physical
bizarre - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅(adj.) extremely strange, unusual, atypical
nihilistic - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅rejecting all religious and moral principles in the
belief that life is meaningless
believing that life is pointless and human values are worthless
religious - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅focused on conversion, if they saw someone not of
their religion, they took it upon themselves to try to convert them; relating to or manifesting
faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity
autistic - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅onset before 3; three defining features: Qualitative
impairment of social interaction, qualitative impairment of communication, restricted,
repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities
