ATI Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
And Psychosis Final Exam Questions
And Answers Practice Questions with
Solutions Newest 2026 2027 | Already
Graded A+
1. Understanding Hallucinations
Question: A nurse is providing information about hallucinations
to a client who has schizophrenia. Which of the following
statements should the nurse make?
a) "It is a belief that something is real when in reality it is not."
b) "It is when behaviors that you typically display are abnormally
absent."
c) "It is when you see or hear things that others are not
experiencing."
d) "It is when you experience symptoms that affect your memory."
Answer & Rationale:
c) "It is when you see or hear things that others are not
experiencing." Hallucinations are sensory perceptions that occur
without an external stimulus, causing the person to see, hear, or
feel something that is not actually present.
2. Positive vs. Negative Symptoms
,Question: A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing
psychosis. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse
identify as a positive symptom of schizophrenia?
a) Flat affect
b) Hearing voices
c) Difficulty concentrating
d) Withdrawn socially
Answer & Rationale:
b) Hearing voices. Hearing voices is an auditory hallucination.
Positive symptoms are "add-ons" to normal functioning, such as
hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech. Flat affect and
social withdrawal are negative symptoms.
3. Differentiating Symptoms
Question: A nurse is caring for a client who has been diagnosed
with schizophrenia. Which of the following should the nurse
identify as a positive symptom?
a) Alogia
b) Hallucination
c) Avolition
d) Anhedonia
Answer & Rationale:
b) Hallucination. Hallucinations involve perceiving things that are
not real (e.g., hearing voices), which is a core positive symptom.
Alogia (poverty of speech), avolition (lack of motivation), and
anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure) are all negative symptoms.
,4. DSM-5-TR Diagnostic Criteria
Question: A diagnosis of schizophrenia, based on the DSM-5-TR
criteria, requires:
a) At least 3 positive symptoms and signs of continuous
disturbance for at least 1 year
b) 2 or more symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized
speech, disorganized/catatonic behavior, or negative symptoms)
present for 1 month, with signs of continuous disturbance for at
least 6 months
c) A single, dramatic psychotic episode that lasts for at least 1
week
d) Gradual onset of mood instability and cognitive decline over 2
months
Answer & Rationale:
b) 2 or more symptoms must be present for a period of 1 month
or longer with signs of continuous disturbance for at least 6
months. In addition, the client must be impaired in one major area
of functioning, such as self-care, work, or interpersonal
relationships.
5. Typical Age of Diagnosis
Question: Schizophrenia is typically diagnosed when a client is
between which age range?
, a) 5 and 12 years old
b) 16 and 30 years old
c) 40 and 50 years old
d) 50 and 65 years old
Answer & Rationale:
b) 16 and 30 years old. The onset of schizophrenia is most
common in late adolescence to early adulthood. It is more
prevalent and appears earlier in biologically male clients than in
biologically female clients.
6. Etiology and Risk Factors
Question: A client states, "My health care provider indicated that I
likely got schizophrenia due to complications experienced in
utero." Which type of risk factor are these complications linked
to?
a) Genetics
b) Physiological
c) Biochemical
d) Environmental
Answer & Rationale:
b) Physiological. Physiological risk factors include prenatal
complications such as hypoxia, prenatal stress, maternal infection,
inadequate nutrition, or gestational diabetes, which can affect
fetal brain development.
And Psychosis Final Exam Questions
And Answers Practice Questions with
Solutions Newest 2026 2027 | Already
Graded A+
1. Understanding Hallucinations
Question: A nurse is providing information about hallucinations
to a client who has schizophrenia. Which of the following
statements should the nurse make?
a) "It is a belief that something is real when in reality it is not."
b) "It is when behaviors that you typically display are abnormally
absent."
c) "It is when you see or hear things that others are not
experiencing."
d) "It is when you experience symptoms that affect your memory."
Answer & Rationale:
c) "It is when you see or hear things that others are not
experiencing." Hallucinations are sensory perceptions that occur
without an external stimulus, causing the person to see, hear, or
feel something that is not actually present.
2. Positive vs. Negative Symptoms
,Question: A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing
psychosis. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse
identify as a positive symptom of schizophrenia?
a) Flat affect
b) Hearing voices
c) Difficulty concentrating
d) Withdrawn socially
Answer & Rationale:
b) Hearing voices. Hearing voices is an auditory hallucination.
Positive symptoms are "add-ons" to normal functioning, such as
hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech. Flat affect and
social withdrawal are negative symptoms.
3. Differentiating Symptoms
Question: A nurse is caring for a client who has been diagnosed
with schizophrenia. Which of the following should the nurse
identify as a positive symptom?
a) Alogia
b) Hallucination
c) Avolition
d) Anhedonia
Answer & Rationale:
b) Hallucination. Hallucinations involve perceiving things that are
not real (e.g., hearing voices), which is a core positive symptom.
Alogia (poverty of speech), avolition (lack of motivation), and
anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure) are all negative symptoms.
,4. DSM-5-TR Diagnostic Criteria
Question: A diagnosis of schizophrenia, based on the DSM-5-TR
criteria, requires:
a) At least 3 positive symptoms and signs of continuous
disturbance for at least 1 year
b) 2 or more symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized
speech, disorganized/catatonic behavior, or negative symptoms)
present for 1 month, with signs of continuous disturbance for at
least 6 months
c) A single, dramatic psychotic episode that lasts for at least 1
week
d) Gradual onset of mood instability and cognitive decline over 2
months
Answer & Rationale:
b) 2 or more symptoms must be present for a period of 1 month
or longer with signs of continuous disturbance for at least 6
months. In addition, the client must be impaired in one major area
of functioning, such as self-care, work, or interpersonal
relationships.
5. Typical Age of Diagnosis
Question: Schizophrenia is typically diagnosed when a client is
between which age range?
, a) 5 and 12 years old
b) 16 and 30 years old
c) 40 and 50 years old
d) 50 and 65 years old
Answer & Rationale:
b) 16 and 30 years old. The onset of schizophrenia is most
common in late adolescence to early adulthood. It is more
prevalent and appears earlier in biologically male clients than in
biologically female clients.
6. Etiology and Risk Factors
Question: A client states, "My health care provider indicated that I
likely got schizophrenia due to complications experienced in
utero." Which type of risk factor are these complications linked
to?
a) Genetics
b) Physiological
c) Biochemical
d) Environmental
Answer & Rationale:
b) Physiological. Physiological risk factors include prenatal
complications such as hypoxia, prenatal stress, maternal infection,
inadequate nutrition, or gestational diabetes, which can affect
fetal brain development.
