PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
10TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)SHEILA L. VIDEBECK
TEST BANK
UNIT 1 — CURRENT THEORIES & PRACTICE
Question 1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Foundations — Mental Health and Mental
Illness
Stem: A nurse is admitting a new client to the inpatient
psychiatric unit. The client, a veteran, states, "My family says I
have to be here because I'm not acting like myself. I don't feel
sick." When planning care, the nurse understands that
according to Videbeck, a key characteristic defining mental
illness is which of the following?
• A. A personal sense of distress or disability.
, • B. A formal diagnosis from the DSM-5-TR.
• C. Behavior that is statistically unusual or rare.
• D. An inability to perform one's usual occupational duties.
Correct Answer: A. A personal sense of distress or disability.
Rationales:
• Correct Rationale: Videbeck defines mental illness as a
clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion
regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in
psychological, biological, or developmental processes. It is
typically associated with significant distress or disability in
social, occupational, or other important activities. The
client's perspective and experience of dysfunction are
central to this definition.
• Incorrect Rationales:
o B: While the DSM-5-TR provides standardized criteria
for diagnosis, the clinical definition of mental illness is
not solely dependent on receiving a formal diagnosis.
o C: Statistical rarity alone does not equate to mental
illness; the behavior must also cause dysfunction or
distress.
o D: Disability in occupational function is one possible
manifestation, but the definition encompasses a
broader range of distress or impairment in various life
areas.
,Teaching Point: Mental illness is defined by significant distress
or functional impairment, not just by diagnosis or unusual
behavior.
Citation: Videbeck, S. L. (2025). Psychiatric-Mental Health
Nursing (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
Question 2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Foundations — DSM-5-TR
Stem: A nurse is reviewing the DSM-5-TR criteria for a client
diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. The nurse identifies
that a required criterion is "depressed mood most of the day,
nearly every day." This component of the DSM-5-TR is best
described as which of the following?
• A. A diagnostic code used for billing purposes.
• B. A descriptive criterion that must be present for
diagnosis.
• C. A dimensional assessment of symptom severity.
• D. A specifier that provides greater diagnostic detail.
Correct Answer: B. A descriptive criterion that must be present
for diagnosis.
Rationales:
• Correct Rationale: The DSM-5-TR lists specific diagnostic
criteria for each disorder. These are descriptive, observable
, symptoms and behaviors that must be present to meet the
definition of the disorder. The stem describes a core,
required symptom criterion.
• Incorrect Rationales:
o A: This refers to the ICD code, which is separate from
the clinical diagnostic criteria.
o C: While some disorders include severity scales, a
core criterion like this is categorical (present/absent),
not dimensional.
o D: Specifiers (e.g., "with anxious distress") are added
to a diagnosis to provide nuance, but they are not the
core required criteria.
Teaching Point: DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria are specific,
required symptoms that define a mental disorder.
Citation: Videbeck, S. L. (2025). Psychiatric-Mental Health
Nursing (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
Question 3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Foundations — Psychiatric Nursing Practice
Stem: A psychiatric-mental health registered nurse (PMH-RN) is
providing individual therapy to a client with generalized anxiety
disorder. The nurse utilizes techniques from cognitive-
behavioral therapy to help the client reframe automatic
negative thoughts. This intervention is an example of which
10TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)SHEILA L. VIDEBECK
TEST BANK
UNIT 1 — CURRENT THEORIES & PRACTICE
Question 1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Foundations — Mental Health and Mental
Illness
Stem: A nurse is admitting a new client to the inpatient
psychiatric unit. The client, a veteran, states, "My family says I
have to be here because I'm not acting like myself. I don't feel
sick." When planning care, the nurse understands that
according to Videbeck, a key characteristic defining mental
illness is which of the following?
• A. A personal sense of distress or disability.
, • B. A formal diagnosis from the DSM-5-TR.
• C. Behavior that is statistically unusual or rare.
• D. An inability to perform one's usual occupational duties.
Correct Answer: A. A personal sense of distress or disability.
Rationales:
• Correct Rationale: Videbeck defines mental illness as a
clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion
regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in
psychological, biological, or developmental processes. It is
typically associated with significant distress or disability in
social, occupational, or other important activities. The
client's perspective and experience of dysfunction are
central to this definition.
• Incorrect Rationales:
o B: While the DSM-5-TR provides standardized criteria
for diagnosis, the clinical definition of mental illness is
not solely dependent on receiving a formal diagnosis.
o C: Statistical rarity alone does not equate to mental
illness; the behavior must also cause dysfunction or
distress.
o D: Disability in occupational function is one possible
manifestation, but the definition encompasses a
broader range of distress or impairment in various life
areas.
,Teaching Point: Mental illness is defined by significant distress
or functional impairment, not just by diagnosis or unusual
behavior.
Citation: Videbeck, S. L. (2025). Psychiatric-Mental Health
Nursing (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
Question 2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Foundations — DSM-5-TR
Stem: A nurse is reviewing the DSM-5-TR criteria for a client
diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. The nurse identifies
that a required criterion is "depressed mood most of the day,
nearly every day." This component of the DSM-5-TR is best
described as which of the following?
• A. A diagnostic code used for billing purposes.
• B. A descriptive criterion that must be present for
diagnosis.
• C. A dimensional assessment of symptom severity.
• D. A specifier that provides greater diagnostic detail.
Correct Answer: B. A descriptive criterion that must be present
for diagnosis.
Rationales:
• Correct Rationale: The DSM-5-TR lists specific diagnostic
criteria for each disorder. These are descriptive, observable
, symptoms and behaviors that must be present to meet the
definition of the disorder. The stem describes a core,
required symptom criterion.
• Incorrect Rationales:
o A: This refers to the ICD code, which is separate from
the clinical diagnostic criteria.
o C: While some disorders include severity scales, a
core criterion like this is categorical (present/absent),
not dimensional.
o D: Specifiers (e.g., "with anxious distress") are added
to a diagnosis to provide nuance, but they are not the
core required criteria.
Teaching Point: DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria are specific,
required symptoms that define a mental disorder.
Citation: Videbeck, S. L. (2025). Psychiatric-Mental Health
Nursing (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
Question 3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Foundations — Psychiatric Nursing Practice
Stem: A psychiatric-mental health registered nurse (PMH-RN) is
providing individual therapy to a client with generalized anxiety
disorder. The nurse utilizes techniques from cognitive-
behavioral therapy to help the client reframe automatic
negative thoughts. This intervention is an example of which
