Mental Status Exam: Cognitive Functioning

Attention

Ability to focus on specific stimuli

Concentration

Ability to maintain attention for a period of time

Diagnoses involving abnormalities in attention and/or concentration

1. Adhd

2. Anxiety disorders

3. Bipolar disorders

4. Depressive disorders

5. OCD

Orientation

Awareness of oneself in relation to ones person, place, or time.

Low orientation is associated with what disorders?

1. Substance intoxication

2. Neurocognitive disorder (delirium, dementia, traumatic brain injury)

3. Active Psychosis

Memory

1. Immediate recall

2. Short-term memory

3. Long-term memory

Memory loss

Neurocognitive Disorders

Long term alcohol use

Language impairment

1. Aphasia

2. Schizophrenia

3. Autism Spectrum Disorder

Executive Functioning

1. Planning

2. Decision making

3. Impulse control

Impairment of Executive Functioning

1. Neurocognitive disorder (alzheimer, Traumatic Brain Injury, ADHD)

2. OCD

3. Depression

4. Bipolar Disorder

5. Anxiety Disorder

6. Schizophrenia

Perception

Ability to process sensory information from the environment

Impaired perception disorders

Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

Neurological disorders

Substance intoxication

Judgment

Ability to identify consequences and determine whether harm is a potential to the self or others

Disorders associated with impaired judgment

1. Neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer's

2. Substance use disorders,

3. bipolar disorders,

4. depressive disorders

Insight

Awareness or understanding of One's Own condition or illness.

Impaired insight

1. OCD

2. Bipolar

3. Psychotic disorders

4. Substance use

5. Personality Disorders (Cluster A)

6. Depressive disorders

How to test concentration and attention?

1. Digit span - you asked a client to repeat a series of numbers forward and backwards.

2. Arithmetic calculation

How to test the level of the client's orientation.

Have the client State the date, month, year, current location, and personal details like their name and age.

How to assess memory

Have the client reiterate a series of words after a short delay. You can also have them repeat the words after giving them a short distraction.

How to assess language and comprehension

Engage the client in dialogue or have them follow a set of short instructions.

How to assess for executive functioning

The clock drawing test : That's the client to draw a clock showing a specific time.

How to assess judgment

Judgment can be assessed by setting up a scenario that causes the client to consider moral or practical decision that the client has to make.

How to access insight

Insight can be assessed by considering the client's thought process or awareness or lack thereof.