In a mental status exam, a patient repeats words and phrases out of context. What is this thought disorder called?

The correct answer is echolalia. Echolalia refers to the involuntary repetition of phrases or words spoken by others, often without comprehension or context, which aligns with the description provided in the question. This behavior is commonly observed in certain psychiatric conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. The meaning behind the repetition is not necessarily related to the current conversation or situation, distinguishing it from other forms of speech disorganization.

Perseveration, while it involves the repeated use of a particular word or phrase, typically refers to a struggle to shift topics and an inability to move on from a specific thought, rather than out-of-context repetition. Neologism involves creating new words or phrases that may have specific meaning to the individual but are nonsensical or not recognizable to others. Word salad consists of incoherent or meaningless phrases that lack a logical connection, usually associated with severe thought disturbance, but does not exclusively refer to the repetition aspect. Thus, echolalia is the most accurate term for the behavior described in the question.