A patient scratches repeatedly at their arms during the interview without spontaneously explaining why. Which single question would most efficiently help clarify whether a tactile hallucination is present?
Directly and gently asking what the person is feeling on their skin, prompted by the observed scratching, is the most efficient way to open this specific area of enquiry. Questions about allergies, mood, or new products are reasonable general background but are indirect and may not surface the specific sensory experience — a false sensation with no physical cause — that needs to be asked about explicitly.
Key discriminating feature: Directly and non-judgementally naming the observed behaviour (scratching) and asking what sensation prompted it is the most efficient way to open this area, since the patient may not spontaneously connect or disclose the sensation without being asked.
References
- Casey, P. & Kelly, B. (2019). Fish's Clinical Psychopathology, 4th ed. Ch. 3, 'Disorders of Perception'.