[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-en-mental-status-exam":3},{"doc":4,"fallback":859},{"id":5,"title":6,"author":7,"authorSlug":7,"badge":7,"body":8,"category":840,"color":7,"description":841,"extension":842,"icon":7,"lastReviewed":843,"meta":844,"navigation":845,"path":846,"publishedAt":847,"reviewedBy":848,"seo":849,"slug":850,"stem":851,"subtitle":7,"tags":7,"takeaways":852,"updatedAt":847,"__hash__":858},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fmental-status-exam.md","Mental Status Examination (MSE): Template, Example & Guide",null,{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":809},"minimark",[11,25,30,40,43,86,90,259,264,268,272,275,279,289,292,301,305,310,369,372,378,448,451,470,473,486,489,509,512,517,520,525,529,532,538,549,552,556,559,565,569,572,661,673,677,716,720,724,727,731,734,738,741,745,748,752,755,759,762,766],[12,13,14,15,19,20,24],"p",{},"The ",[16,17,18],"strong",{},"mental status examination (MSE)"," is the part of a clinical interview where the clinician records, in a fixed order, what they observe about a client's appearance, behaviour, speech, mood and affect, thinking, perception, cognition, insight and judgement. It is the psychiatric equivalent of the physical exam: a snapshot of the client's presentation at one point in time, written in terms another clinician can read and compare at the next visit ",[21,22,23],"span",{},"1, 2",". This guide defines each MSE domain, gives a worked fictional example, and provides a template you can copy into your notes.",[26,27,29],"h2",{"id":28},"what-is-a-mental-status-exam","What is a mental status exam?",[12,31,32,33,36,37,39],{},"A mental status exam is a ",[16,34,35],{},"structured, descriptive record of observation",". Most of it is gathered by watching and listening during the interview; a few parts (orientation, memory, attention) use brief direct questions or tasks ",[21,38,23],{},".",[12,41,42],{},"Three points define how it is used:",[44,45,46,55,61],"ul",{},[47,48,49,52,53,39],"li",{},[16,50,51],{},"It describes, it does not diagnose."," MSE findings help distinguish mood disorders, thought disorders and cognitive impairment, and guide further testing or referral, but none is diagnostic on its own; each is interpreted in the context of the whole assessment ",[21,54,23],{},[47,56,57,60],{},[16,58,59],{},"It is a snapshot."," The MSE records presentation during this encounter. History (what happened last week) belongs elsewhere in the note; the MSE is what you saw today.",[47,62,63,66,67,72,73,76,77,81,82,39],{},[16,64,65],{},"It is expected documentation."," A Medicare contractor's coverage policy for psychiatric services (LCD L33252), for example, lists a mental status exam among the required record elements of a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation (",[68,69,71],"a",{"href":70},"\u002Fcpt-codes\u002F90791-psychiatric-diagnostic-evaluation\u002F","CPT 90791",") ",[21,74,75],{},"3",". In follow-up notes it usually appears in condensed form, in the Objective section of a ",[68,78,80],{"href":79},"\u002Fguides\u002Fsoap-notes\u002F","SOAP note"," or the Data section of a ",[68,83,85],{"href":84},"\u002Fnotes\u002Fdap-notes\u002F","DAP note",[26,87,89],{"id":88},"the-mse-domains-at-a-glance","The MSE domains at a glance",[91,92,93,110],"table",{},[94,95,96],"thead",{},[97,98,99,104,107],"tr",{},[100,101,103],"th",{"align":102},"left","Domain",[100,105,106],{"align":102},"What you record",[100,108,109],{"align":102},"Example wording",[111,112,113,127,141,154,167,180,193,206,219,233,246],"tbody",{},[97,114,115,121,124],{},[116,117,118],"td",{"align":102},[16,119,120],{},"Appearance",[116,122,123],{"align":102},"Apparent age, dress, grooming, hygiene, notable physical features",[116,125,126],{"align":102},"\"Appears stated age, casually dressed, well groomed\"",[97,128,129,135,138],{},[116,130,131,134],{"align":102},[16,132,133],{},"Behaviour"," (incl. motor activity)",[116,136,137],{"align":102},"Eye contact, engagement with the interviewer, psychomotor activity, abnormal movements",[116,139,140],{"align":102},"\"Cooperative, good eye contact, mild psychomotor slowing\"",[97,142,143,148,151],{},[116,144,145],{"align":102},[16,146,147],{},"Speech",[116,149,150],{"align":102},"Rate, volume, rhythm, amount, articulation",[116,152,153],{"align":102},"\"Normal rate and volume, decreased spontaneity\"",[97,155,156,161,164],{},[116,157,158],{"align":102},[16,159,160],{},"Mood",[116,162,163],{"align":102},"The client's own description of their emotional state, ideally quoted",[116,165,166],{"align":102},"Mood: \"flat, like nothing matters\"",[97,168,169,174,177],{},[116,170,171],{"align":102},[16,172,173],{},"Affect",[116,175,176],{"align":102},"The clinician's observation of expressed emotion: range, intensity, stability, congruence with mood",[116,178,179],{"align":102},"\"Constricted, congruent with stated mood\"",[97,181,182,187,190],{},[116,183,184],{"align":102},[16,185,186],{},"Thought process",[116,188,189],{"align":102},"How thoughts are connected and organized",[116,191,192],{"align":102},"\"Linear and goal-directed\"",[97,194,195,200,203],{},[116,196,197],{"align":102},[16,198,199],{},"Thought content",[116,201,202],{"align":102},"What the client thinks about: preoccupations, obsessions, delusions, suicidal or homicidal ideation",[116,204,205],{"align":102},"\"Denies SI\u002FHI; preoccupied with work performance; no delusions elicited\"",[97,207,208,213,216],{},[116,209,210],{"align":102},[16,211,212],{},"Perception",[116,214,215],{"align":102},"Hallucinations, illusions, depersonalization, derealization",[116,217,218],{"align":102},"\"Denies auditory or visual hallucinations; not responding to internal stimuli\"",[97,220,221,227,230],{},[116,222,223,226],{"align":102},[16,224,225],{},"Cognition"," (sensorium)",[116,228,229],{"align":102},"Level of consciousness, orientation, attention, memory, abstraction",[116,231,232],{"align":102},"\"Alert, oriented ×3, attention and recall grossly intact\"",[97,234,235,240,243],{},[116,236,237],{"align":102},[16,238,239],{},"Insight",[116,241,242],{"align":102},"The client's understanding of their condition and need for care",[116,244,245],{"align":102},"\"Fair: recognizes low mood, attributes it entirely to work\"",[97,247,248,253,256],{},[116,249,250],{"align":102},[16,251,252],{},"Judgement",[116,254,255],{"align":102},"Capacity to make sound decisions, judged from recent real-world choices",[116,257,258],{"align":102},"\"Good: sought care, has kept appointments\"",[12,260,261,262,39],{},"Domain names and order vary slightly between sources (some fold motor activity into behaviour, some list \"sensorium and cognition\"), but the content is consistent ",[21,263,23],{},[26,265,267],{"id":266},"each-domain-defined","Each domain, defined",[269,270,120],"h3",{"id":271},"appearance",[12,273,274],{},"What a stranger could see: apparent versus stated age, build, dress and its fit for the setting and weather, grooming and hygiene, and visible features such as scars, tremor or signs of intoxication. Describe rather than judge: \"clothing stained, hair unwashed\" is more useful than \"unkempt\".",[269,276,278],{"id":277},"behaviour-and-motor-activity","Behaviour and motor activity",[12,280,281,282,285,286,39],{},"How the client relates to the interview (cooperative, guarded, hostile, withdrawn, disinhibited), eye contact, and ",[16,283,284],{},"psychomotor activity",": slowing (retardation) or agitation, restlessness, tics, tremor or other abnormal movements ",[21,287,288],{},"2",[269,290,147],{"id":291},"speech",[12,293,294,295,298,299,39],{},"The form of speech, not its content: rate (slow, normal, rapid, ",[16,296,297],{},"pressured","), volume, rhythm and prosody, quantity (poverty of speech, verbose), latency before answering, and articulation ",[21,300,288],{},[269,302,304],{"id":303},"mood-and-affect","Mood and affect",[12,306,307,308],{},"These are recorded separately because they come from different sources: ",[21,309,288],{},[44,311,312,321],{},[47,313,314,316,317,320],{},[16,315,160],{}," is the sustained emotional state the client ",[16,318,319],{},"reports",". Record it in their words where you can.",[47,322,323,325,326,329,330],{},[16,324,173],{}," is the emotion the clinician ",[16,327,328],{},"observes",". Describe its:\n",[44,331,332,350,360],{},[47,333,334,337,338,341,342,345,346,349],{},[16,335,336],{},"Range",": full, ",[16,339,340],{},"constricted"," (reduced), ",[16,343,344],{},"blunted"," (markedly reduced) or ",[16,347,348],{},"flat"," (almost absent).",[47,351,352,355,356,359],{},[16,353,354],{},"Stability",": stable or ",[16,357,358],{},"labile"," (shifting rapidly).",[47,361,362,365,366,39],{},[16,363,364],{},"Congruence",": whether the affect fits the stated mood and the content being discussed. Laughing while describing a loss is ",[16,367,368],{},"incongruent",[269,370,186],{"id":371},"thought-process",[12,373,374,375,377],{},"How ideas link together ",[21,376,288],{},". Common descriptors:",[91,379,380,390],{},[94,381,382],{},[97,383,384,387],{},[100,385,386],{"align":102},"Term",[100,388,389],{"align":102},"Meaning",[111,391,392,400,408,416,424,432,440],{},[97,393,394,397],{},[116,395,396],{"align":102},"Linear \u002F goal-directed",[116,398,399],{"align":102},"Ideas follow logically and reach the point",[97,401,402,405],{},[116,403,404],{"align":102},"Circumstantial",[116,406,407],{"align":102},"Excess detail, but eventually reaches the point",[97,409,410,413],{},[116,411,412],{"align":102},"Tangential",[116,414,415],{"align":102},"Moves away from the question and does not return to it",[97,417,418,421],{},[116,419,420],{"align":102},"Flight of ideas",[116,422,423],{"align":102},"Rapid jumps between loosely connected topics, often with pressured speech",[97,425,426,429],{},[116,427,428],{"align":102},"Loose associations",[116,430,431],{"align":102},"Little or no logical link between successive ideas",[97,433,434,437],{},[116,435,436],{"align":102},"Thought blocking",[116,438,439],{"align":102},"Sudden stops mid-thought",[97,441,442,445],{},[116,443,444],{"align":102},"Perseveration",[116,446,447],{"align":102},"Returns repeatedly to the same idea or word",[269,449,199],{"id":450},"thought-content",[12,452,453,454,457,458,461,462,464,465,469],{},"What the client is thinking about: dominant themes and preoccupations, obsessions, phobias, overvalued ideas, ",[16,455,456],{},"delusions"," (fixed false beliefs not shared by the client's culture), and ",[16,459,460],{},"suicidal and homicidal ideation"," ",[21,463,288],{},". Always document risk content explicitly, including negatives (\"denies SI, intent or plan\"). A positive screen leads to a structured risk assessment such as the ",[68,466,468],{"href":467},"\u002Fassessments\u002Fc-ssrs\u002F","C-SSRS",", not to a one-line MSE entry.",[269,471,212],{"id":472},"perception",[12,474,475,476,479,480,483,484,39],{},"Perceptual disturbances: ",[16,477,478],{},"hallucinations"," (perception without a stimulus, by modality: auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, gustatory), ",[16,481,482],{},"illusions"," (misperception of a real stimulus), and depersonalization or derealization. Note both what the client reports and what you observe, such as appearing to respond to internal stimuli ",[21,485,288],{},[269,487,225],{"id":488},"cognition",[12,490,491,492,495,496,498,499,503,504,508],{},"Level of consciousness (alert, drowsy, fluctuating), ",[16,493,494],{},"orientation"," (to person, place and time, written \"oriented ×3\"), attention and concentration, short- and long-term memory, and, where relevant, abstraction and fund of knowledge ",[21,497,23],{},". In most outpatient therapy notes a brief statement is enough. When cognition looks impaired, a standardized cognitive screen such as the ",[68,500,502],{"href":501},"\u002Fassessments\u002Fmoca\u002F","MoCA"," or ",[68,505,507],{"href":506},"\u002Fassessments\u002Fmmse\u002F","MMSE"," gives a scored, repeatable measure (see below).",[269,510,239],{"id":511},"insight",[12,513,514,515,39],{},"How well the client understands that they have a problem, its likely causes and the need for treatment. Commonly rated good, fair, partial, poor or absent, with a short reason ",[21,516,288],{},[269,518,252],{"id":519},"judgement",[12,521,522,523,39],{},"The client's capacity to make sound decisions. It is better inferred from recent real choices (keeping a job, managing money, seeking help, risky behaviour) than from hypothetical questions ",[21,524,288],{},[26,526,528],{"id":527},"mental-status-exam-example","Mental status exam example",[12,530,531],{},"A worked example for an outpatient intake. It is fictional: no real client, clinician or session.",[12,533,534],{},[535,536,537],"em",{},"Fictional example.",[539,540,546],"pre",{"className":541,"code":543,"language":544,"meta":545},[542],"language-text","Mental Status Examination\nClient: A.M., age 29, intake (90791), in person\nDate: 2026-10-14\n\nAppearance: Appears stated age. Casually dressed, clothing clean, hair\n  unbrushed. No visible injuries.\nBehaviour: Cooperative and engaged; eye contact intermittent, improved\n  over the session. Mild psychomotor slowing. No abnormal movements.\nSpeech: Normal volume and articulation; slow rate with increased latency\n  before answering. Decreased spontaneity.\nMood: \"Heavy. Like I'm dragging myself through every day.\"\nAffect: Constricted, dysphoric, stable; congruent with stated mood.\n  Brief brightening when discussing her sister.\nThought process: Linear and goal-directed.\nThought content: Preoccupied with guilt about missed work. Endorses\n  passive death wishes (\"sometimes I wish I wouldn't wake up\") in the past\n  two weeks; denies active suicidal ideation, intent or plan; denies HI.\n  No delusions elicited. (C-SSRS screener completed; see risk assessment.)\nPerception: Denies auditory or visual hallucinations. Not observed to be\n  responding to internal stimuli.\nCognition: Alert. Oriented to person, place, time and situation (×4).\n  Attention intact (months of the year backward without error).\n  Recall 3\u002F3 immediately, 3\u002F3 at five minutes.\nInsight: Fair. Recognizes low mood as a problem; attributes it mainly\n  to workload.\nJudgement: Good. Self-referred, arranged time off work, has a support\n  person at home.\n","text","",[547,548,543],"code",{"__ignoreMap":545},[12,550,551],{},"Notice what the example does: it quotes the client's mood, separates the observed affect, states negatives as well as positives for risk, and gives evidence for the insight and judgement ratings. Scores from validated scales (for example a PHQ-9 of 17) sit beside the MSE in the note, not inside it; together they inform the clinician's diagnostic impression.",[26,553,555],{"id":554},"mental-status-exam-template","Mental status exam template",[12,557,558],{},"Copy this into your note and replace the brackets. Delete descriptors that do not apply rather than leaving them as a checklist.",[539,560,563],{"className":561,"code":562,"language":544,"meta":545},[542],"Mental Status Examination\nClient: [initials], [age], [session type]    Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]\n\nAppearance: [apparent vs stated age; dress; grooming\u002Fhygiene; notable features]\nBehaviour: [cooperative \u002F guarded \u002F agitated \u002F withdrawn]; eye contact\n  [good \u002F intermittent \u002F poor]; psychomotor [normal \u002F slowed \u002F agitated];\n  abnormal movements [none \u002F describe]\nSpeech: rate [normal \u002F slow \u002F rapid \u002F pressured]; volume [ ]; rhythm and\n  prosody [ ]; amount [ ]; latency [ ]\nMood: \"[client's own words]\"\nAffect: range [full \u002F constricted \u002F blunted \u002F flat]; [stable \u002F labile];\n  [congruent \u002F incongruent] with mood\nThought process: [linear, goal-directed \u002F circumstantial \u002F tangential \u002F\n  flight of ideas \u002F loose associations \u002F blocking]\nThought content: [themes, preoccupations]; obsessions [ ]; delusions [ ];\n  SI [denies \u002F passive \u002F active; intent; plan]; HI [denies \u002F describe]\nPerception: hallucinations [denies \u002F modality and content]; responding to\n  internal stimuli [no \u002F yes]\nCognition: [alert \u002F drowsy \u002F fluctuating]; oriented ×[ ]; attention [ ];\n  memory [ ]; screen used [none \u002F MoCA ___ \u002F MMSE ___]\nInsight: [good \u002F fair \u002F partial \u002F poor] because [ ]\nJudgement: [good \u002F fair \u002F impaired] because [ ]\n",[547,564,562],{"__ignoreMap":545},[26,566,568],{"id":567},"mse-vs-mmse-not-the-same-test","MSE vs MMSE: not the same test",[12,570,571],{},"The names are close and the two are often confused in search results and AI answers.",[91,573,574,586],{},[94,575,576],{},[97,577,578,580,583],{},[100,579],{"align":102},[100,581,582],{"align":102},"Mental status examination (MSE)",[100,584,585],{"align":102},"Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)",[111,587,588,604,619,632,645],{},[97,589,590,595,598],{},[116,591,592],{"align":102},[16,593,594],{},"What it is",[116,596,597],{"align":102},"A descriptive clinical framework covering the whole presentation",[116,599,600,601],{"align":102},"A standardized 30-point cognitive screening test ",[21,602,603],{},"4",[97,605,606,611,614],{},[116,607,608],{"align":102},[16,609,610],{},"Covers",[116,612,613],{"align":102},"Appearance, behaviour, speech, mood, affect, thought, perception, cognition, insight, judgement",[116,615,616,617],{"align":102},"Cognition only (orientation, registration, attention, recall, language, construction) ",[21,618,603],{},[97,620,621,626,629],{},[116,622,623],{"align":102},[16,624,625],{},"Output",[116,627,628],{"align":102},"Narrative description by domain",[116,630,631],{"align":102},"A total score out of 30",[97,633,634,639,642],{},[116,635,636],{"align":102},[16,637,638],{},"Who uses it",[116,640,641],{"align":102},"Every mental health clinician, in intakes and progress notes",[116,643,644],{"align":102},"Mainly when cognitive impairment is suspected",[97,646,647,652,655],{},[116,648,649],{"align":102},[16,650,651],{},"Licensing",[116,653,654],{"align":102},"Public framework; no form to licence",[116,656,657,658],{"align":102},"Proprietary; the published form is under copyright ",[21,659,660],{},"1",[12,662,663,664,667,668,670,671,39],{},"In short, the MMSE (or the MoCA) can be ",[16,665,666],{},"one tool inside the cognition domain"," of an MSE; it is not a substitute for the MSE. Reference pages: ",[68,669,507],{"href":506},", ",[68,672,502],{"href":501},[26,674,676],{"id":675},"where-the-mse-fits-in-your-documentation","Where the MSE fits in your documentation",[44,678,679,695,706],{},[47,680,681,684,685,461,687,689,690,694],{},[16,682,683],{},"Intake \u002F psychiatric diagnostic evaluation",": a full MSE is an expected part of the record for ",[68,686,71],{"href":70},[21,688,75],{},". See the ",[68,691,693],{"href":692},"\u002Fguides\u002Fintake-notes\u002F","intake notes guide"," for the rest of the intake structure.",[47,696,697,700,701,705],{},[16,698,699],{},"Progress notes",": a condensed MSE (often three to five lines, with any change from baseline) in the Objective or Data section. See the ",[68,702,704],{"href":703},"\u002Fnotes\u002F","progress note formats"," compared side by side.",[47,707,708,711,712,39],{},[16,709,710],{},"Treatment plans",": MSE findings and baseline scale scores together describe the starting point that measurable goals are written against. See the ",[68,713,715],{"href":714},"\u002Fguides\u002Ftreatment-plan\u002F","treatment plan guide",[26,717,719],{"id":718},"frequently-asked-questions","Frequently Asked Questions",[269,721,723],{"id":722},"what-are-the-components-of-a-mental-status-exam","What are the components of a mental status exam?",[12,725,726],{},"Appearance, behaviour (including psychomotor activity), speech, mood, affect, thought process, thought content, perception, cognition (consciousness, orientation, attention, memory), insight and judgement. Some sources group or order these slightly differently, but the content is the same.",[269,728,730],{"id":729},"what-is-the-difference-between-mood-and-affect","What is the difference between mood and affect?",[12,732,733],{},"Mood is the emotional state the client reports, ideally recorded in their own words. Affect is the emotion the clinician observes, described by its range, stability and whether it is congruent with the stated mood.",[269,735,737],{"id":736},"is-the-mental-status-exam-the-same-as-the-mmse","Is the mental status exam the same as the MMSE?",[12,739,740],{},"No. The mental status exam is a descriptive framework covering a client's whole presentation. The MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) is a 30-point cognitive screening test that covers only the cognition domain.",[269,742,744],{"id":743},"how-long-does-a-mental-status-exam-take","How long does a mental status exam take?",[12,746,747],{},"Most of the MSE is completed by observation during the interview, so it adds little time. Brief cognitive tasks such as orientation questions and three-word recall take a few minutes; a standardized cognitive screen takes longer and is used only when indicated.",[269,749,751],{"id":750},"what-does-alert-and-oriented-3-mean","What does \"alert and oriented ×3\" mean?",[12,753,754],{},"The client is awake and attentive and correctly identifies person, place and time. \"×4\" adds situation (why they are here).",[269,756,758],{"id":757},"does-every-progress-note-need-a-full-mse","Does every progress note need a full MSE?",[12,760,761],{},"A full MSE belongs in the intake or diagnostic evaluation. Follow-up notes usually carry a brief MSE focused on changes from baseline and on risk, in the Objective or Data section.",[26,763,765],{"id":764},"clinical-evidence-references","Clinical Evidence & References",[767,768,769,781,791,798],"ol",{},[47,770,771,772,775,776],{},"Norris D, Clark MS, Shipley S. The Mental Status Examination. ",[535,773,774],{},"Am Fam Physician",". 2016;94(8):635-641. PMID 27929229. ",[68,777,778],{"href":778,"rel":779},"https:\u002F\u002Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002F27929229\u002F",[780],"nofollow",[47,782,783,784,786,787],{},"Snyderman D, Rovner B. Mental status exam in primary care: a review. ",[535,785,774],{},". 2009;80(8):809-814. PMID 19835342. ",[68,788,789],{"href":789,"rel":790},"https:\u002F\u002Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002F19835342\u002F",[780],[47,792,793,794],{},"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Local Coverage Determination (Medicare contractor) L33252: Psychiatric Codes. Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation documentation requirements. ",[68,795,796],{"href":796,"rel":797},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cms.gov\u002Fmedicare-coverage-database\u002Fview\u002Flcd.aspx?lcdid=33252",[780],[47,799,800,801,804,805],{},"Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. \"Mini-mental state\": a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. ",[535,802,803],{},"J Psychiatr Res",". 1975;12(3):189-198. PMID 1202204. ",[68,806,807],{"href":807,"rel":808},"https:\u002F\u002Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002F1202204\u002F",[780],{"title":545,"searchDepth":810,"depth":810,"links":811},3,[812,814,815,827,828,829,830,831,839],{"id":28,"depth":813,"text":29},2,{"id":88,"depth":813,"text":89},{"id":266,"depth":813,"text":267,"children":816},[817,818,819,820,821,822,823,824,825,826],{"id":271,"depth":810,"text":120},{"id":277,"depth":810,"text":278},{"id":291,"depth":810,"text":147},{"id":303,"depth":810,"text":304},{"id":371,"depth":810,"text":186},{"id":450,"depth":810,"text":199},{"id":472,"depth":810,"text":212},{"id":488,"depth":810,"text":225},{"id":511,"depth":810,"text":239},{"id":519,"depth":810,"text":252},{"id":527,"depth":813,"text":528},{"id":554,"depth":813,"text":555},{"id":567,"depth":813,"text":568},{"id":675,"depth":813,"text":676},{"id":718,"depth":813,"text":719,"children":832},[833,834,835,836,837,838],{"id":722,"depth":810,"text":723},{"id":729,"depth":810,"text":730},{"id":736,"depth":810,"text":737},{"id":743,"depth":810,"text":744},{"id":750,"depth":810,"text":751},{"id":757,"depth":810,"text":758},{"id":764,"depth":813,"text":765},"Documentation","Mental status exam guide for clinicians: every MSE domain defined, a worked MSE example, a copy-ready template, and how the MSE differs from the MMSE.","md","October 2026",{},true,"\u002Fguides\u002Fmental-status-exam","2026-10-29","HiBoop",{"title":6,"description":841},"mental-status-exam","guides\u002Fmental-status-exam",[853,854,855,856,857],"The mental status examination (MSE) is a structured description of how a client presents during the interview, recorded domain by domain.","Standard domains: appearance, behaviour, speech, mood, affect, thought process, thought content, perception, cognition, insight and judgement.","The MSE is a clinical observation framework, not a scored test; no single MSE finding is diagnostic on its own.","The MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) is a separate 30-point cognitive screen; it covers only the cognition domain of a full MSE.","A Medicare contractor's coverage policy (LCD L33252) lists a mental status exam among the required record elements of a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation.","ywRiJR7WREx9mqGjoqs5x7liAcE11Cp4atn5opSyq_M",false]