Speech
In the Mental State Examination the speech section considers the only the verbalisation of the speech rather than the content. The content is considered in detail under the thoughts section. An individual's verbalisation is a important mirror into their emotional and cognitive state. A number of aspects of speech verbalisation need to be commented on the following: -
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Rate, Volume, Quality (speed, quantity, accents, clarity)
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Fluency and coherence (reaction, structure, construct)
| Example. Ms. Kilboski |
| . |
'Ms. Kilboski spoke with an eastern European accent at a fast rate, it was as if she was in a great rush to get all of what she wanted to say out.
Her speech exuded vigour and speech quantity seemed unreserved. She spoke loudly at times almost shouting it was very difficult to interrupt her.
Although her speech was fluent, she found it difficult to stick to the point often going off on a tangent “my past medical health is just fine ok, I am ok, now let me tell you about my meeting with the president”.' |
| . |
| . |
- Fast paced
- Rushed
- Voluble |
- Loud, Shouting
- Fluent overall
- Difficulty sticking to point |
|
 Descriptive Word List [psychiatric dictionary] |
| Rate, volume, quality |
Fluency, coherence |
Accented
Emotional
Hesitant
Lisps
Loud
Monotonous
Mumbled
Mutism
Pressured
Rapid
Rushed
Responsive
Slurred
Stuttered
Stuttering
Taciturn
Vocal dysphonia
Whispered |
Dysarthria
Echolalia
Palilalia
Rehearsed
Responsive
Stereotypical
Talkative
Unspontaneous
Verbigerative
Volubility
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