Elicitation

Knowing how to draw the phenomenon out at interview — the open, clarifying and verifying questions that establish it without leading, and the questions to avoid.

Cognitive operation: ELICIT · 205 items

Deliberate practice, not a test. Items are organised by target (phenomenon or defence) and by evidence axis. Nothing here is scored, graded or recorded — you weigh the prompt, then reveal the worked phenomenological reasoning. Fictional teaching material.

• Elicit · Abnormal Emotional Reaction open

  Abnormal Emotional Reaction

  You are assessing whether a patient's emotional response is an abnormal emotional reaction. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Abnormal Expression of Emotion open

  Abnormal Expression of Emotion

  You suspect an abnormal expression of emotion in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Acute Dystonia open

  Acute Dystonia

  You suspect acute dystonia in a patient recently started on antipsychotic medication. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Blunting of Affect open

  Blunting of Affect

  You are assessing a patient for affect blunting during a routine interview. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically observe.

• Elicit · Constriction of Affect open

  Constriction of Affect

  You suspect a patient shows constriction of affect. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Affective Incontinence open

  Affective Incontinence

  You suspect a patient may show affective incontinence. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Agnostic Alexia open

  Agnostic Alexia

  You suspect agnostic alexia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Akathisia open

  Akathisia

  You are reviewing a patient recently started on an antipsychotic and want to assess for akathisia. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would look for and ask about.

• Elicit · Akinetic Mutism open

  Akinetic Mutism

  You are assessing an unresponsive patient and want to establish whether this is akinetic mutism rather than catatonic stupor. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would look for.

• Elicit · Ambitendency open

  Ambitendency

  A patient shows an unusual hesitation when asked to perform a simple action. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is ambitendency.

• Elicit · Amnesia open

  Amnesia

  A patient reports difficulty remembering a period of her life. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this.

• Elicit · Amnestic State select

  Amnestic State

  You suspect a patient may have an amnestic state rather than dementia. Which single bedside approach would most efficiently help distinguish the two?

• Elicit · Anankastic Personality Disorder select

  Anankastic Personality Disorder

  You suspect a patient may have anankastic traits but want to establish whether they reach the threshold of a personality disorder rather than simply being a valued personal quality. Which single question is most useful?

• Elicit · Anhedonia open

  Anhedonia

  You suspect a patient with low mood may also have anhedonia, which they haven't mentioned spontaneously. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would specifically ask about it.

• Elicit · Anosognosia select

  Anosognosia

  A patient with a confirmed left-sided paralysis following a stroke has not mentioned any weakness. Which single question would most usefully help establish whether anosognosia is present?

• Elicit · Anterograde Amnesia open

  Anterograde Amnesia

  You are assessing a patient shortly after a head injury and want to establish whether they have anterograde amnesia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for it.

• Elicit · Movement Disorders Associated with Antipsychotic Medication select

  Movement Disorders Associated with Antipsychotic Medication

  You are reviewing a patient recently started on antipsychotic medication and want to screen for a subtle movement disorder that might not be obvious just from watching them. Which single question is most appropriate to ask?

• Elicit · Anxiety open

  Anxiety

  A patient reports feeling on edge much of the time. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this.

• Elicit · Anxiety Amnesia open

  Anxiety Amnesia

  You suspect anxiety amnesia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Anxious Foreboding open

  Anxious Foreboding

  You are assessing a patient for anxious foreboding. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Anxious Personality Disorder open

  Anxious Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient for features of anxious (avoidant) personality disorder. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask about.

• Elicit · Apathy open

  Apathy

  A patient's family reports that he seems to have lost interest in everything. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is apathy.

• Elicit · Aphasia select

  Aphasia

  You suspect a patient's speech disturbance may be aphasia rather than a primarily psychiatric speech disorder such as schizophasia. Which single line of enquiry would most usefully help clarify this?

• Elicit · Auditory Hallucination open

  Auditory Hallucination

  You are assessing a patient for auditory hallucinations. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Autochthonous Delusion (Sudden Delusional Idea) open

  Autochthonous Delusion (Sudden Delusional Idea)

  A patient describes a belief that seemed to appear suddenly, out of nowhere. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is an autochthonous delusion.

• Elicit · Automatic Obedience open

  Automatic Obedience

  You want to test a patient for automatic obedience. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would go about it.

• Elicit · Autoscopy open

  Autoscopy

  A patient has mentioned briefly 'seeing myself' during a stressful period. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would clarify whether this was autoscopy.

• Elicit · La Belle Indifférence open

  La Belle Indifférence

  You are assessing a patient with a functional neurological symptom and want to establish whether la belle indifference is present. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically look and listen for during the assessment.

• Elicit · Body Image Disturbance open

  Body Image Disturbance

  You suspect a patient shows body image disturbance. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Borderline Personality Disorder open

  Borderline Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient for features of borderline personality disorder. Before revealing the answer, decide what areas you would explore, and how you would approach the more sensitive parts of the history.

• Elicit · Capgras Syndrome select

  Capgras Syndrome

  You suspect a patient may hold a Capgras-type delusion about a family member. Which single question would most usefully help confirm this specific pattern, rather than a more general sense of unfamiliarity?

• Elicit · Catalepsy open

  Catalepsy

  You want to test a patient for catalepsy during a motor examination. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would go about it.

• Elicit · Catathymic Amnesia open

  Catathymic Amnesia

  A patient cannot recall one specific painful episode from her past. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is catathymic amnesia.

• Elicit · Catatonic Speech Disturbance open

  Catatonic Speech Disturbance

  You suspect a patient shows catatonic speech disturbance. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Catatonic Stupor open

  Catatonic Stupor

  You want to examine a mute, unresponsive patient specifically for catatonic stupor. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually check.

• Elicit · Central Aphasia open

  Central Aphasia

  You suspect central aphasia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Chromatopsia open

  Chromatopsia

  A patient reports that his vision has taken on an unusual colour tinge. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is chromatopsia.

• Elicit · Circumstantiality open

  Circumstantiality

  You want to assess whether a patient's speech pattern is circumstantiality. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically observe.

• Elicit · Compulsion open

  Compulsion

  A patient mentions performing a repetitive action many times a day. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a compulsion.

• Elicit · Confabulation open

  Confabulation

  You suspect a patient may be confabulating. Before revealing the answer, describe how you would actually test for it during the interview.

• Elicit · Cryptamnesia open

  Cryptamnesia

  A patient has produced content that you suspect may not be as original as they believe. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is cryptamnesia.

• Elicit · Déjà Vu open

  Déjà Vu

  You want to ask a patient about déjà vu as part of a broader assessment, including screening for possible temporal lobe seizure activity. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would raise it and what follow-up questions you would ask.

• Elicit · Delusion open

  Delusion

  A patient has expressed a belief that strikes you as false and out of keeping with his background. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a delusion.

• Elicit · Delusion of Guilt select

  Delusion of Guilt

  You suspect a patient with severe depressive illness may hold a delusion of guilt but they have not mentioned it spontaneously. Which single question would most efficiently open this area for direct exploration?

• Elicit · Delusion of Ill Health select

  Delusion of Ill Health

  A patient has had several normal medical investigations but remains highly preoccupied with a feared serious illness. Which single question would best help clarify whether this is a delusion of ill health rather than ordinary health anxiety?

• Elicit · Delusion of Infidelity select

  Delusion of Infidelity

  You suspect a patient may hold a delusion of infidelity about their partner. Beyond confirming the belief itself, which single additional question is most important to ask given the known risks associated with this delusion?

• Elicit · Delusion of Love select

  Delusion of Love

  A patient describes a strong conviction that a specific, largely unknown person is secretly in love with them. Which single question would most usefully clarify whether this is a delusion of love, given the phenomenon's own distinctive recognition feature?

• Elicit · Delusion of Persecution open

  Delusion of Persecution

  A patient has expressed a belief that he is being targeted by others. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a delusion of persecution.

• Elicit · Delusion of Poverty select

  Delusion of Poverty

  A patient with depressive symptoms expresses significant worry about money. Which single question would best help establish whether this is a delusion of poverty rather than realistic financial concern?

• Elicit · Delusional Mood open

  Delusional Mood

  A patient describes a vague, unsettling sense that something is going on. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is delusional mood.

• Elicit · Delusional Perception open

  Delusional Perception

  A patient hints at a strange realisation they had recently. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would interview them to establish whether this was a delusional perception.

• Elicit · Demoralization select

  Demoralization

  You want to establish whether a patient's low mood in the context of chronic illness reflects demoralization or a full depressive illness. Which single question is most useful?

• Elicit · Denial open

  Denial

  You suspect a patient may be showing denial about a serious diagnosis. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Dependent Personality Disorder open

  Dependent Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient you suspect may have dependent personality disorder. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this during the interview.

• Elicit · Depersonalisation open

  Depersonalisation

  A patient seems withdrawn and is hard to read. You want to check specifically for depersonalisation without leading them into an answer. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually ask.

• Elicit · Depressive Illness open

  Depressive Illness

  A patient describes persistent low mood. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this represents a depressive illness.

• Elicit · Depressive Pseudodementia select

  Depressive Pseudodementia

  An older patient presents with both low mood and significant memory complaints. Which single line of questioning is most useful for judging whether the cognitive difficulty is likely to be depressive pseudodementia?

• Elicit · Depressive Stupor open

  Depressive Stupor

  A severely depressed patient has become profoundly withdrawn and largely unresponsive. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is depressive stupor.

• Elicit · Derealisation open

  Derealisation

  A patient seems distracted and describes things feeling 'off' lately. You want to check specifically for derealisation. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually ask.

• Elicit · Desultory Thinking open

  Desultory Thinking

  You suspect a patient's speech shows desultory thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disorders of Expressive Movement open

  Disorders of Expressive Movement

  You are assessing a patient for a possible disorder of expressive movement. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disorientation open

  Disorientation

  You want to test a patient's orientation formally. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess it and in what order you would expect any loss to appear.

• Elicit · Dissocial Personality Disorder open

  Dissocial Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient for features of dissocial personality disorder. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically ask about.

• Elicit · Dissociation of Affect open

  Dissociation of Affect

  You suspect dissociation of affect in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Dissociative Amnesia select

  Dissociative Amnesia

  You are assessing a patient with a sudden, apparently trauma-related memory loss and want to gather information supporting dissociative amnesia over an organic cause, without assuming the diagnosis. Which single approach is most appropriate?

• Elicit · Distortion of Recall open

  Distortion of Recall

  A patient has described a memory that you suspect may not be entirely accurate. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a distortion of recall.

• Elicit · Distortion of Recognition select

  Distortion of Recognition

  You want to establish whether a patient's reported misidentification of a family member is a brief, everyday experience or a persistent, elaborated pattern. Which single question is most useful?

• Elicit · Distractibility open

  Distractibility

  You suspect a patient shows distractibility. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disturbance of Consciousness select

  Disturbance of Consciousness

  You are assessing a patient whose presentation seems mildly out of keeping with what family describe as their normal baseline, but nothing is dramatically abnormal. Which single approach would most usefully help establish whether a disturbance of consciousness is present?

• Elicit · Disturbance of Awareness of Self-Activity open

  Disturbance of Awareness of Self-Activity

  You suspect a patient has a disturbance of awareness of self-activity. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disturbance of the Boundaries of the Self open

  Disturbance of the Boundaries of the Self

  You suspect a patient is describing a disturbance of the boundaries of the self. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disturbance of the Continuity of Self open

  Disturbance of the Continuity of Self

  You suspect a patient is describing a disturbance of the continuity of self. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disturbance of the Immediate Awareness of Self-Unity open

  Disturbance of the Immediate Awareness of Self-Unity

  You suspect a patient may be experiencing disturbance of self-unity. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for it.

• Elicit · Dream-Like Change of Consciousness open

  Dream-Like Change of Consciousness

  You are assessing an elderly patient overnight staff describe as 'confused and frightened.' Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess specifically for a dream-like change of consciousness.

• Elicit · Drivelling Thinking open

  Drivelling Thinking

  You suspect a patient's speech shows drivelling thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Dysmegalopsia open

  Dysmegalopsia

  You suspect dysmegalopsia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Echolalia open

  Echolalia

  You want to test a patient for echolalia during an assessment. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would go about it.

• Elicit · Echopraxia open

  Echopraxia

  You want to check a patient with suspected catatonia for echopraxia. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually do.

• Elicit · Ecstasy open

  Ecstasy

  A patient describes an intensely elevated mood state. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is ecstasy.

• Elicit · Eidetic Imagery open

  Eidetic Imagery

  A patient describes an unusually vivid recollection. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is eidetic imagery.

• Elicit · Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder open

  Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient and considering whether emotionally unstable personality disorder is the appropriate framing. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would approach this.

• Elicit · Enduring Personality Change after a Catastrophic Experience open

  Enduring Personality Change after a Catastrophic Experience

  You suspect enduring personality change after a catastrophic experience in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Excitement open

  Excitement

  You are assessing a patient showing excitement. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Expressive Aphasia open

  Expressive Aphasia

  You suspect a patient has expressive aphasia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Extended Suicide select

  Extended Suicide

  You are assessing a parent with severe, delusional depressive illness and are concerned about risk to their children. Which single question is most essential to ask directly?

• Elicit · Extracampine Hallucination open

  Extracampine Hallucination

  A patient has described a hallucination in an unusual location. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is extracampine.

• Elicit · False Memory open

  False Memory

  You suspect a patient may hold a false memory of a past event. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess this.

• Elicit · False Reconnaissance open

  False Reconnaissance

  You suspect a patient shows false reconnaissance. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Flashback open

  Flashback

  You are assessing a patient with a history of significant trauma and want to establish whether they experience flashbacks. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Flashbulb Memory select

  Flashbulb Memory

  A patient describes an unusually vivid memory of hearing shocking news, and you want to explore it without either dismissing its vividness or treating it as guaranteed to be accurate. Which single approach best reflects the phenomenon's own guidance?

• Elicit · Flight of Ideas open

  Flight of Ideas

  You suspect a patient in an elated mood state may have flight of ideas. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for it during the interview.

• Elicit · Forced Grasping open

  Forced Grasping

  You suspect a patient shows forced grasping. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Formal Thought Disorder open

  Formal Thought Disorder

  You suspect a patient's speech shows a disturbance in the structure of their thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess this.

• Elicit · Functional Hallucination open

  Functional Hallucination

  A patient reports hearing voices. You want to check specifically whether this might be a functional hallucination. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually ask.

• Elicit · Ganser Syndrome open

  Ganser Syndrome

  You suspect a patient may have Ganser syndrome. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Gegenhalten (Opposition) open

  Gegenhalten (Opposition)

  You want to establish whether a patient shows Gegenhalten on examination. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess this.

• Elicit · Grandiose Delusion select

  Grandiose Delusion

  A patient with elevated mood makes an offhand comment suggesting unusually exalted self-belief, but does not elaborate further. Which single follow-up question would best help establish whether this is a grandiose delusion?

• Elicit · Gustatory Hallucination open

  Gustatory Hallucination

  You suspect a gustatory hallucination in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Hallucination open

  Hallucination

  A patient reports perceiving something that you suspect may not correspond to any real external stimulus. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a hallucination.

• Elicit · Hallucinosis select

  Hallucinosis

  A patient with a long history of heavy alcohol use reports hearing voices. Which single line of assessment is most important before concluding this is hallucinosis?

• Elicit · Hemiasomatognosia open

  Hemiasomatognosia

  You are examining a patient with a right parietal lesion and want to assess for hemiasomatognosia. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would look for.

• Elicit · Hemispatial Neglect open

  Hemispatial Neglect

  A patient following a right-sided brain lesion seems to be missing things on one side. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for hemispatial neglect.

• Elicit · Histrionic Personality Disorder open

  Histrionic Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient for features of histrionic personality disorder. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically ask about and observe during the interview.

• Elicit · Hyperamnesia open

  Hyperamnesia

  You suspect hyperamnesia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Hypnagogic Hallucination open

  Hypnagogic Hallucination

  A patient describes a brief unusual sensory experience. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is a hypnagogic hallucination.

• Elicit · Hysterical Twilight State open

  Hysterical Twilight State

  A patient presents after an episode of wandering with impaired awareness, and you want to establish whether this was a hysterical twilight state. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically ask about and investigate.

• Elicit · Illusion select

  Illusion

  A patient briefly mentions having "seen something odd" in low light recently. Which single follow-up question would most usefully help establish whether this was an illusion?

• Elicit · Impulsive Behaviour open

  Impulsive Behaviour

  You suspect impulsive behaviour in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Impulsive Personality Disorder open

  Impulsive Personality Disorder

  You suspect impulsive personality disorder in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Incongruity of Affect open

  Incongruity of Affect

  You want to assess a patient specifically for incongruity of affect during a mental state examination. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually do.

• Elicit · Inhibition (Slowing) of Thinking open

  Inhibition (Slowing) of Thinking

  You suspect a depressed patient shows inhibition of thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Intermediate Aphasia open

  Intermediate Aphasia

  You suspect intermediate aphasia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Involuntary Neurological Movement Signs open

  Involuntary Neurological Movement Signs

  You suspect an involuntary neurological movement sign in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Irritability open

  Irritability

  A patient's family reports that he has become unusually short-tempered. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is irritability.

• Elicit · Lability of Affect open

  Lability of Affect

  You are assessing a patient and want to establish whether lability of affect is present. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would look for during the interview.

• Elicit · Lethologia open

  Lethologia

  A person mentions frequently forgetting names momentarily. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is lethologia.

• Elicit · Loss of Emotional Resonance open

  Loss of Emotional Resonance

  You are assessing a depressed patient and want to establish whether loss of emotional resonance is present. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Lowering of Consciousness open

  Lowering of Consciousness

  You are assessing an elderly patient who appears profoundly slowed and vague soon after a medical illness, and dementia has been raised as a possibility. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess specifically for lowering of consciousness instead.

• Elicit · Mannerisms open

  Mannerisms

  You want to check for mannerisms during a mental state examination without over-interpreting ordinary personal quirks. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually do.

• Elicit · Cooperation (Mitmachen) and Mitgehen open

  Cooperation (Mitmachen) and Mitgehen

  You suspect a patient may show Mitmachen or Mitgehen. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this on examination.

• Elicit · Morbid Anxiety open

  Morbid Anxiety

  You are assessing a patient for possible morbid anxiety. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Morbid Disorder of Emotion open

  Morbid Disorder of Emotion

  You suspect a morbid disorder of emotion in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Morbid Euphoria select

  Morbid Euphoria

  A patient describes feeling wonderful and full of plans. Which single question would most usefully help establish whether this is morbid euphoria rather than ordinary good spirits?

• Elicit · Morbid Expression of Emotion open

  Morbid Expression of Emotion

  You suspect a morbid expression of emotion in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Moria open

  Moria

  You are assessing a patient with suspected frontal lobe pathology and want to check for moria. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would look for.

• Elicit · Motor and Verbal Perseveration select

  Motor and Verbal Perseveration

  You want to test for motor perseveration at the bedside. Which single approach would most efficiently elicit it if it is present?

• Elicit · Experience of Multiple Personalities open

  Experience of Multiple Personalities

  You suspect a patient is describing the experience of multiple personalities. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Munchausen's Syndrome open

  Munchausen's Syndrome

  You suspect Munchausen's syndrome in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Mutism open

  Mutism

  A patient has not spoken for some time. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess this mutism further.

• Elicit · Narcissistic Personality Disorder open

  Narcissistic Personality Disorder

  You want to assess a patient for features of narcissistic personality disorder during an interview, without simply labelling them as arrogant. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually explore.

• Elicit · Negativism open

  Negativism

  You want to test a patient for negativism during a motor examination. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would go about it.

• Elicit · Neologism open

  Neologism

  A patient has used an unfamiliar word during the interview and you want to establish whether it is a neologism. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this.

• Elicit · Nihilistic Delusion open

  Nihilistic Delusion

  A severely depressed patient has made an unusual claim about his own body. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a nihilistic delusion.

• Elicit · Nominal Aphasia open

  Nominal Aphasia

  You suspect nominal aphasia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Obsession open

  Obsession

  You suspect a patient may be experiencing obsessions but they are reluctant to describe the content in detail. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would approach eliciting this.

• Elicit · Obstruction (Blocking) open

  Obstruction (Blocking)

  You notice a patient's movements are being interrupted in an unusual way. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is obstruction.

• Elicit · Occupational Delirium open

  Occupational Delirium

  You suspect a confused patient shows occupational delirium. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Olfactory Hallucination select

  Olfactory Hallucination

  A patient mentions smelling something odd occasionally. Which single follow-up question would most usefully help clarify whether this is an olfactory hallucination?

• Elicit · Organic Amnesia open

  Organic Amnesia

  A patient presents with memory difficulties following a known physical illness or injury. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is organic amnesia.

• Elicit · Organic Hallucination open

  Organic Hallucination

  You suspect an organic hallucination in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Overvalued Idea open

  Overvalued Idea

  You are assessing a patient's strongly held belief and want to establish whether it is an overvalued idea. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would explore.

• Elicit · Panic Attack open

  Panic Attack

  You are assessing a patient for panic attacks. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask about.

• Elicit · Paramnesia (Distortion of Memory) open

  Paramnesia (Distortion of Memory)

  You suspect a patient's account of the past may involve a paramnesia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess this.

• Elicit · Paranoid Personality Disorder select

  Paranoid Personality Disorder

  You suspect a patient's longstanding suspicious pattern may have crystallised into a fixed delusional belief rather than remaining at the level of a personality trait. Which single question would most usefully test this?

• Elicit · Paraphasia select

  Paraphasia

  A patient uses an unusual or incorrect word during conversation. Which single line of enquiry would most usefully help establish whether this is a paraphasia rather than a psychiatric neologism?

• Elicit · Paraschemazia open

  Paraschemazia

  You suspect paraschemazia in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Passivity Phenomena open

  Passivity Phenomena

  You want to establish whether a patient is experiencing passivity phenomena. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Pathological Drunkenness select

  Pathological Drunkenness

  You are assessing a patient with a history of a sudden, violent episode after drinking. Which single piece of information is most important to establish to support or rule out pathological drunkenness?

• Elicit · Perplexity open

  Perplexity

  A patient appears outwardly confused and hesitant during the interview. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is perplexity.

• Elicit · Perseveration open

  Perseveration

  You want to test a patient for perseveration during a cognitive assessment. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would go about it.

• Elicit · Perseveration of Posture open

  Perseveration of Posture

  You suspect perseveration of posture in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Personality Disorder select

  Personality Disorder

  You are assessing whether a patient's current difficult traits represent a personality disorder or are better explained by a current episode of illness. Which single question is most useful?

• Elicit · Phobia open

  Phobia

  A patient mentions avoiding certain situations out of fear. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a phobia.

• Elicit · Primary Delusion open

  Primary Delusion

  You are assessing a patient's delusional belief and want to establish whether it is primary or secondary. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore its history.

• Elicit · Pseudohallucination open

  Pseudohallucination

  A patient mentions, almost in passing, seeing something that wasn't there. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would establish whether this was a pseudohallucination.

• Elicit · Pseudologia Fantastica select

  Pseudologia Fantastica

  You suspect a patient's elaborate account of a dramatic personal history may be pseudologia fantastica rather than confabulation or ordinary lying. Which single approach would most usefully help clarify this?

• Elicit · Psychomotor Retardation select

  Psychomotor Retardation

  You are assessing a patient with known depressive illness and want to establish whether psychomotor retardation is present. Which single question or approach would most efficiently confirm it at interview?

• Elicit · Pure Word Deafness open

  Pure Word Deafness

  You suspect pure word deafness in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Pure Word-Dumbness open

  Pure Word-Dumbness

  You suspect pure word-dumbness in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Disorders of Reactive Movements open

  Disorders of Reactive Movements

  You suspect a disorder of reactive movements in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Reactivity of Mood open

  Reactivity of Mood

  You suspect reactivity of mood in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Receptive Aphasia open

  Receptive Aphasia

  You suspect a patient has receptive aphasia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Reflex Hallucination open

  Reflex Hallucination

  A patient reports that certain sounds seem to bring on other perceptual experiences. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is a reflex hallucination.

• Elicit · Restriction of Consciousness open

  Restriction of Consciousness

  You suspect a patient shows restriction of consciousness. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Retrograde Amnesia open

  Retrograde Amnesia

  You are assessing a patient shortly after a head injury and want to establish whether they have retrograde amnesia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for it during the interview.

• Elicit · Retrospective Delusion open

  Retrospective Delusion

  You suspect a patient is exhibiting a retrospective delusion. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Retrospective Falsification open

  Retrospective Falsification

  You suspect a patient's account of their past may show retrospective falsification. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Ribot's Law of Memory Regression open

  Ribot's Law of Memory Regression

  You suspect a patient's memory loss follows Ribot's law of memory regression. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Running Commentary Voices open

  Running Commentary Voices

  You are assessing a patient for auditory hallucinations and want to establish whether running commentary voices are present. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Schemazia Distortion open

  Schemazia Distortion

  You suspect schemazia distortion in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Schizoid Personality Disorder open

  Schizoid Personality Disorder

  You are assessing a patient for possible schizoid personality disorder. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Schizophasia open

  Schizophasia

  A patient's speech is so disorganised it is difficult to follow. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is schizophasia.

• Elicit · Schizotypal Personality Disorder open

  Schizotypal Personality Disorder

  A patient shows a longstanding pattern of social oddness. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is schizotypal personality disorder.

• Elicit · Screen Memory open

  Screen Memory

  You suspect a patient's account of a particular childhood memory may be a screen memory. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would approach establishing this.

• Elicit · Secondary Delusion select

  Secondary Delusion

  A patient describes a fixed delusional belief. Which single question would most usefully help establish whether this is a secondary delusion rather than a primary one?

• Elicit · Sense of Presence open

  Sense of Presence

  A bereaved patient mentions feeling that someone is with them. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this.

• Elicit · Sensory Intensity Distortion open

  Sensory Intensity Distortion

  A patient reports that ordinary sensations feel unusually intense. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess whether this is sensory intensity distortion.

• Elicit · Smiling Depression open

  Smiling Depression

  You suspect smiling depression in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Somatisation open

  Somatisation

  You suspect somatisation in a patient presenting with physical complaints. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Somatoparaphrenia open

  Somatoparaphrenia

  You are examining a patient with left hemiplegia after a stroke and want to assess for somatoparaphrenia. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would specifically ask.

• Elicit · Stammering and Stuttering open

  Stammering and Stuttering

  You suspect a patient's speech disruption is a stammer. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Stereotyped Posture open

  Stereotyped Posture

  You suspect a patient shows a stereotyped posture. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Stiffening of Affect open

  Stiffening of Affect

  You suspect stiffening of affect in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Stupor open

  Stupor

  You are assessing a patient who is immobile and largely unresponsive. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is stupor.

• Elicit · Synaesthesia open

  Synaesthesia

  A person describes an unusual pairing of sensory experiences. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is synaesthesia.

• Elicit · Tactile Hallucination select

  Tactile Hallucination

  A patient scratches repeatedly at their arms during the interview without spontaneously explaining why. Which single question would most efficiently help clarify whether a tactile hallucination is present?

• Elicit · Talking Past the Point (Vorbeireden) open

  Talking Past the Point (Vorbeireden)

  You suspect a patient may be talking past the point. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Tardive Dyskinesia open

  Tardive Dyskinesia

  You are assessing a long-term antipsychotic user for tardive dyskinesia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this on examination.

• Elicit · Thought Alienation open

  Thought Alienation

  You want to establish whether a patient is experiencing thought alienation in some form. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask.

• Elicit · Thought Blocking open

  Thought Blocking

  You're conducting a mental state examination and want to check specifically for thought blocking, not just note it if it happens to occur unprompted. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would actually say and do.

• Elicit · Thought Broadcasting open

  Thought Broadcasting

  A patient has hinted that other people somehow know what he is thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this further.

• Elicit · Thought Echo open

  Thought Echo

  A patient has mentioned hearing a voice that seems connected to her own thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is thought echo.

• Elicit · Thought Insertion open

  Thought Insertion

  You suspect a patient may be experiencing thought insertion but they have not described it spontaneously. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would ask about this during the interview.

• Elicit · Thought Withdrawal open

  Thought Withdrawal

  A patient describes a sudden gap in his thinking. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is thought withdrawal.

• Elicit · Distortion of the Experience of Time select

  Distortion of the Experience of Time

  You want to screen a patient with a significant mood disturbance for a distortion of the experience of time. Which single opening question is most appropriate?

• Elicit · Trailing Phenomena open

  Trailing Phenomena

  A patient describes an unusual distortion in how movement appears to them. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is trailing phenomena.

• Elicit · Transitory Thinking open

  Transitory Thinking

  You suspect transitory thinking in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Twilight State open

  Twilight State

  A patient describes a period of 'losing time' and you want to establish whether this was a twilight state. Before revealing the answer, decide what you would ask about.

• Elicit · Undirected Fantasy Thinking open

  Undirected Fantasy Thinking

  You suspect undirected fantasy thinking in a patient. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Verbal Stereotypy open

  Verbal Stereotypy

  You notice a patient using the same short phrase repeatedly across an interview, regardless of the question. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore this.

• Elicit · Verbigeration open

  Verbigeration

  A patient has been repeating the same phrase continuously for some time. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is verbigeration.

• Elicit · Visceral Hallucination select

  Visceral Hallucination

  A patient mentions in passing that something "feels wrong inside" without further detail. Which single follow-up question would best help clarify whether this is a visceral hallucination?

• Elicit · Visual Asymbolia open

  Visual Asymbolia

  You suspect a patient has visual asymbolia. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for this.

• Elicit · Visual Hallucination open

  Visual Hallucination

  A patient reports seeing something unusual. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would explore whether this is a visual hallucination.

• Elicit · Waxy Flexibility select

  Waxy Flexibility

  You want to test for waxy flexibility at the bedside in a patient with reduced spontaneous movement. Which single approach is most appropriate?