Which items are typically included under Appearance and Behavior?

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In the mental status exam, Appearance and Behavior focuses on what you can observe about how a person looks and moves during the interview. This includes gait, dress, grooming, posture, gestures and facial expressions, nutrition status, eye contact, and any unusual or conspicuous behaviors. Mania indicators are included here because they are visible signs of increased energy or activity that affect the person’s overall presentation. This domain helps you gauge general presentation, psychomotor activity, and how the person engages with the environment at the moment of examination.

The other domains cover different aspects: Mood and affect refers to the person’s internal emotional state and its outward expression, not their physical presentation. Thought content and perceptual abnormalities examine what the person thinks and perceives, such as delusions or hallucinations. Sensorial, cognitive and intellectual functioning assess memory, attention, orientation, language, and problem-solving abilities.