Mental state examination: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Mental state examination

Sample item

What term describes a patient's beliefs about external reality?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Thought content

Thought content refers to what a patient thinks or believes, including delusions, obsessions, preoccupations, and suicidal ideas.

Option by option

  • A. Affect

    Affect is the observed expression of emotion.

  • B. Attention

    Attention is the ability to sustain focus.

  • C. Orientation

    Orientation is awareness of person, place, and time.

  • D. Thought content (correct)

    Correct: beliefs and ideas are assessed as thought content.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Psychiatry questions

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is D, Thought content. Thought content refers to what a patient thinks or believes, including delusions, obsessions, preoccupations, and suicidal ideas.

Why is "Affect" not the answer?

Affect is the observed expression of emotion.

Why is "Attention" not the answer?

Attention is the ability to sustain focus.

Why is "Orientation" not the answer?

Orientation is awareness of person, place, and time.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mental state examination in Psychiatry. The correct option holds because: Correct: beliefs and ideas are assessed as thought content.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mental state examination?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.