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Adult Psychiatry Glossary

100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026

extrapyramidal symptoms

Professional Technical IVT

Neurological side effects of antipsychotic medications affecting movement and muscle control.

Showing 1–24 of 100

5150 hold

Professional Formal IVT

A 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold authorized under California law for individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or...

Legal Term Full entry →

ACT team

Professional Technical IVT

Assertive Community Treatment team providing intensive, community-based mental health services.

Abbreviation Full entry →

ADOS-2

Professional Technical IVT

Standardized assessment tool for diagnosing autism spectrum disorders through structured observation.

Technical Term Full entry →

AIMS assessment

Professional Technical IVT

Standardized examination tool used to detect and monitor involuntary movement disorders in patients taking antipsychotic...

Technical Term Full entry →

akathisia

Professional Technical IVT

A movement disorder characterized by restlessness and an inability to sit still, often caused by antipsychotic medicatio...

Technical Term Full entry →

AMSIT

Professional Technical

Age, Memory, and Stress-Informed Treatment - an assessment framework that considers developmental factors, memory functi...

Technical Term Full entry →

anhedonia

Intermediate Technical IVT

Inability to experience pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyable, a core symptom of major depression.

Depressive Symptom Full entry →

anosognosia

Advanced Technical IVT

Lack of insight or awareness of one's own mental illness, commonly seen in psychotic disorders and severe mood episodes.

Clinical Symptom Full entry →

anticholinergic burden

Professional Technical IVT

Cumulative effect of medications that block acetylcholine receptors, potentially causing cognitive and physical side eff...

Technical Term Full entry →

axis diagnosis

Intermediate Technical IVT

A component of the former DSM-IV multiaxial diagnostic system that organized mental health conditions and related factor...

Technical Term Full entry →

Beck Depression Inventory

Professional Technical IVT

A standardized self-report questionnaire measuring severity of depressive symptoms.

Technical Term Full entry →

blunted affect

Intermediate Technical IVT

Reduced intensity of emotional expression and responsiveness observed during clinical assessment.

Technical Term Full entry →

BPRS

Professional Technical IVT

Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale - a standardized assessment tool used to measure psychiatric symptoms severity in adult p...

Technical Term Full entry →

CAGE questionnaire

Intermediate Technical IVT

A four-question screening tool used to identify potential alcohol abuse and dependence in clinical settings.

Technical Term Full entry →

catatonia

Professional Technical IVT

Psychomotor syndrome characterized by abnormal movements, behaviors, and speech patterns, requiring urgent medical atten...

Psychomotor Syndrome Full entry →

circumstantiality

Intermediate Technical IVT

Speech pattern characterized by excessive, unnecessary detail but eventually reaching the intended point, often seen in...

Speech Pattern Full entry →

CIWA

Intermediate Technical IVT

Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol - standardized scale used to monitor and manage alcohol withdrawal...

Assessment Tool Full entry →

clang associations

Intermediate Technical IVT

A thought disorder where words are chosen based on sound similarity rather than meaning, resulting in rhyming or alliter...

Technical Term Full entry →

co-occurring disorders

Intermediate Technical IVT

The simultaneous presence of mental health and substance use disorders in the same individual.

Technical Term Full entry →

cognitive behavioral therapy

Intermediate Technical IVT

Evidence-based psychotherapy focusing on identifying and changing maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors.

Technical Term Full entry →

cognitive restructuring

Intermediate Technical IVT

Therapeutic technique that helps patients identify and modify distorted thought patterns to improve emotional and behavi...

Therapeutic Technique Full entry →

command hallucinations

Advanced Technical IVT

Auditory hallucinations that give direct orders or instructions to the patient, representing significant safety concerns...

Psychotic Symptom Full entry →

competency evaluation

Intermediate Formal IVT

A formal assessment to determine a patient's mental capacity to make specific decisions about their medical treatment or...

Technical Term Full entry →

CPEP

Professional Technical IVT

Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program - a specialized emergency service model providing intensive psychiatric cris...

Document Type Full entry →
Showing 1–24 of 100

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