Best test for diagnosis of organic mental disorder is?

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhuvneshwar NO- 2018

Explanation

The Bender Gestalt test is a brief, non-invasive neuropsychological screening tool used to detect organic brain dysfunction.
It assesses visual-motor maturity and integration by asking the individual to copy a series of nine abstract designs.
Significant errors in reproducing the designs, such as distortion of shape, rotation of the figure, or perseveration (repeating a design), can indicate underlying brain damage or developmental delays.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is a projective personality test, not a diagnostic tool for organic brain disorders.
Option B: The Sentence Completion Test is a projective technique used to uncover attitudes, beliefs, and emotional conflicts.
Option C: The Rorschach test uses inkblots to assess personality structure and emotional functioning.

Related Visual

An image displaying the nine standard designs of the Bender Gestalt test alongside a patients attempt at reproduction, showing common errors like rotation and distortion.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Neuropsychological Assessment for Organic Mental Disorders to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Nurses may encounter patients with sudden confusion, memory loss, or behavioral changes. Recognizing these signs as potential indicators of an organic disorder (like delirium, dementia, or post-injury effects) is a critical nursing skill.
While nurses do not administer the Bender Gestalt test, understanding its purpose helps in advocating for appropriate patient referrals to a neuropsychologist for screening.
An abnormal screening result is not a final diagnosis but a crucial data point that prompts further investigation, such as neuroimaging (CT or MRI) and a comprehensive neurological workup.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key concept in the question: the diagnosis of an 'organic mental disorder'. This term points to a problem with the physical brain structure or function.
Next, analyze the function of each test listed in the options. You need to differentiate between tests for cognitive/neurological function and tests for personality/emotion.
Recall or deduce that the Thematic Apperception Test, Sentence Completion Test, and Rorschach Test are all 'projective' tests. Their goal is to have the individual project their inner feelings and conflicts onto ambiguous stimuli.
Recognize that the Bender Gestalt test is different. It directly evaluates a specific brain function: the ability to perceive a design and reproduce it motorically (visual-motor integration).
Conclude that a test assessing a direct brain function is the most appropriate choice for identifying an 'organic' or brain-based disorder.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Neuropsychological Assessment for Organic Mental Disorders
Stem keywords: organic mental disorder, diagnosis, test
Lead-in keywords: Best
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QDS7aEU4K4WxNEKabpyKAw

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3423-3425

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) pp. 265-267, 190-192

Practise the full AIIMS Bhuvneshwar NO- 2018

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.

Attempt this paper Attempt in the NPrep app