Mental State Examination (MSE) Template: A Complete Guide with Examples

Updated on: July 3, 2025

The Mental State Examination (MSE) is one of the most essential tools in mental health assessment. It provides a structured snapshot of a patient’s psychological functioning—helping clinicians diagnose, monitor progress, and guide treatment.

But let’s be honest:
📝 Writing MSEs by hand is time-consuming.
⚠️ Inconsistencies can lead to missed diagnoses or poor communication.
😓 And for busy clinicians, documentation often comes at the cost of patient time or after-hours burnout.

That’s where Docscrib—an AI-powered medical scribe—comes in. With customizable MSE templates and real-time transcription, Docscrib helps mental health professionals document faster, more accurately, and with less stress.

👉 Explore how Docscrib can transform your documentation →

What Is a Mental State Examination (MSE)?

The Mental State Examination (MSE) is a structured way to assess a patient’s current mental functioning at a single point in time.

It evaluates domains such as:

• Appearance & Behavior

• Speech

• Mood & Affect

• Thought Process & Content

• Perception

• Cognition

• Insight & Judgment

Used by psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care providers, and social workers, the MSE forms the backbone of psychiatric and psychosocial assessments.

Free Mental State Examination (MSE) Template (Download & Customize)

📝 MSE Template for Mental Health Professionals

Patient Name: ______________________
Date of Examination: _________________
Clinician Name: _____________________

1. Appearance & Behavior:

[Clothing, grooming, posture, psychomotor activity]

2. Speech:

[Rate, volume, fluency, coherence]

3. Mood & Affect:

• Mood: [Subjective emotional state]

• Affect: [Observed emotional expression—range, stability]

4. Thought Process:

[Linear, coherent, circumstantial, flight of ideas, tangential, thought blocking]

5. Thought Content:

[Delusions, obsessions, suicidal or homicidal ideation]

6. Perception:

[Hallucinations, illusions, derealization, depersonalization]

7. Cognition:

• Orientation (Time, Place, Person)

• Memory

• Attention & Concentration

8. Insight & Judgment:

[Awareness of condition, decision-making capacity]

📥 Download Free MSE Template →

Example of a Completed MSE (Clinical Scenario)

Appearance & Behavior:
Patient appears disheveled, poor eye contact, restless motor activity.

Speech:
Pressured, rapid, occasionally tangential.

Mood & Affect:
Mood: “Anxious and on edge.”
Affect: Labile, incongruent with stated mood.

Thought Process:
Flight of ideas, circumstantial.

Thought Content:
Expresses persecutory delusions. No suicidal ideation at present.

Perception:
Reports auditory hallucinations.

Cognition:
Oriented to person and place, confused about time. Mild memory impairment.

Insight & Judgment:
Poor insight into current mental illness. Judgment impaired.

Why Mental State Examinations Are Crucial

✅ Support accurate diagnosis (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, anxiety)
✅ Establish baseline mental status for future comparison
✅ Document risk factors for safety and compliance
✅ Facilitate clear communication among care teams
✅ Essential for billing and reimbursement

But creating thorough, consistent MSEs for every patient is time-consuming and repetitive.

How Docscrib Makes Mental State Examination Documentation Effortless

With Docscrib’s AI medical scribe, clinicians can generate full MSEs in real-time—dictating or typing notes that are automatically structured into the correct format.

🔹 Key Benefits of Docscrib for MSEs:

✅ Voice-to-Text MSE Creation
✅ Customizable MSE Templates
✅ Auto-Populated Risk Factors & Red Flags
✅ EHR-Friendly Output
✅ HIPAA & SOC 2 Security Compliance

💬 “I save at least 30 minutes per day using Docscrib for mental health notes—especially MSEs.”
— Psychiatrist, Austin, TX

MSE Documentation: Before vs. After Docscrib

FAQs: Mental State Exams & AI Medical Scribes

Can I use my own MSE template in Docscrib?

Yes—Docscrib allows you to create or customize any clinical note template to match your workflow.

Is Docscrib suitable for psychiatric and psychotherapy sessions?

Absolutely. Docscrib is widely used by psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and social workers.

Does Docscrib meet HIPAA requirements for mental health?

Yes. Docscrib is fully HIPAA-compliant with enterprise-level security.

How to Get Started with Docscrib for MSEs

1. Visit docscrib.com

2. Schedule your free personalized demo

3. Start documenting MSEs faster—with more confidence

👉 Book Your Free Docscrib Demo →

Final Thoughts: MSEs Done Right—With Docscrib

Mental State Examinations are too important to be rushed—and too time-consuming to be manual.

With Docscrib, you can:

✅ Write MSEs faster
✅ Improve documentation quality
✅ Save hours every week
✅ Focus on healing, not charting

👉 Discover AI Medical Scribes for Happier Clinicians →