ACES ACES
Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale, a screening tool measuring childhood trauma exposure.
competency to stand trial
A legal determination of whether a defendant has sufficient mental capacity to participate meaningfully in their crimina...
contingency management
A behavioral intervention that provides rewards or consequences based on specific target behaviors.
coprolalia
The involuntary utterance of obscene words or phrases, most commonly associated with Tourette syndrome.
crisis intervention
Immediate therapeutic response to psychiatric emergencies aimed at stabilization and safety.
DBT
Dialectical behavior therapy, a specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy emphasizing mindfulness and distress to...
derailment
A thought disorder characterized by loose associations between ideas, making speech difficult to follow.
disinhibition
Loss of normal behavioral restraints leading to socially inappropriate actions, commonly seen in mania and certain brain...
DSM-5-TR
The current standard diagnostic manual for mental disorders used in psychiatric documentation and clinical writing.
DTRs
Deep tendon reflexes examined during neurological assessment to evaluate nervous system function and medication effects.
dystonia
A neurological movement disorder causing involuntary muscle contractions that result in twisting, repetitive movements o...
dystonic reaction
An acute neurological side effect of antipsychotic medications characterized by involuntary muscle contractions and spas...
euthymic
A normal, stable mood state without significant depression or mania, used to describe baseline emotional functioning.
extrapyramidal symptoms
Movement disorders caused by antipsychotic medications affecting the brain's motor control systems outside the pyramidal...
flight of ideas
Rapid succession of thoughts with logical connections but frequent topic changes.
formication
The sensation of insects crawling on or under the skin when no insects are present.
GAF
A numeric scale formerly used to assess psychological, social, and occupational functioning, now largely replaced by WHO...
grandiosity
An exaggerated sense of self-importance, power, knowledge, or identity.
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
A clinician-administered assessment tool for measuring the severity of depression symptoms.
HIPAA
Federal legislation establishing privacy and security standards for protected health information in psychiatric settings...
HIPAA authorization
Written permission allowing disclosure of protected health information beyond standard treatment purposes.
hypergraphia
Compulsive or excessive writing behavior, often seen in temporal lobe disorders or psychiatric conditions.
hypnagogic hallucination
Vivid sensory experiences that occur during the transition from wakefulness to sleep.
hypomania
A milder form of mania characterized by elevated mood and increased activity that doesn't cause severe impairment or req...
ICD-11
The WHO's latest diagnostic classification system for mental health disorders, serving as an alternative to DSM-5-TR.