Psychiatric history

A psychiatric history is the result of a medical process where a clinician working in the field of mental health (usually a psychiatrist) systematically records the content of an interview with a patient. This is then combined with the mental status examination to produce a 'psychiatric formulation' of the person being examined. A psychiatric history is the result of a medical process where a clinician working in the field of mental health (usually a psychiatrist) systematically records the content of an interview with a patient. This is then combined with the mental status examination to produce a 'psychiatric formulation' of the person being examined. Psychologists take a similar history, often referred to as a psychological history.