Observations provide an opportunity to obtain information to either support or reject the diagnostic assumptions formed during the anamnesis. Observations are not only determined by the mental disorder itself, but also the context in which the psychiatric interview takes place and the interaction between the patient and physician.
Observations concern the following:
- Age, appearance, personal grooming and hygiene.
- Facial expression, eye contact.
- Posture, psychomotor functions, gestures, speech.
- Behaviour.
- Signs of muscle weakness.
- Feelings and reactions by the patient and feelings and reactions induced in the physician by the patient.
- Consciousness.
- Attention, orientation, memory.
- Sense of decorum.
- Abstract reasoning, executive functions.
- Intelligence, use of language.
- Coherence and logic of thought.
- Nature and expression of affect.
- Somatic affective signs.
- Vegetative signs.
