Walden NRNP 6635 Midterm Exam Prep: Complete 100-
Question Practice Test with Detailed Rationales for
Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
Below are 100 original practice questions styled after the NRNP 6635 Week 6 Midterm
Exam for Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning at Walden University. This guide
covers core domains including psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology, DSM-5-TR
diagnostic criteria, and clinical reasoning .
Section 1: Foundations & Diagnostic Reasoning (Questions 1–15)
1. Select the mental function that is most affected in mild cognitive impairment .
A) Executive function
B) Recent memory
C) Language
D) Visuospatial skills
Answer: B) Recent memory
Mild cognitive impairment primarily affects recent memory, making it difficult for individuals
to recall recent events or information. Other cognitive domains are relatively preserved .
2. Which theorist developed the eight stages of the psychosocial life cycle ?
A) Freud
B) Piaget
C) Erikson
D) Kohlberg
Answer: C) Erikson
Erik Erikson developed the eight stages of psychosocial development, providing a
framework for understanding developmental challenges across the lifespan .
,3. Select two causes of dissociative amnesia .
A) Sexual abuse
B) Head trauma
C) Partner betrayal
D) Substance intoxication
Answer: A) Sexual abuse AND C) Partner betrayal
Dissociative amnesia is typically triggered by psychological trauma or severe stress,
including sexual abuse and relationship betrayal .
4. What is the primary purpose of a comprehensive health assessment ?
A) To collect payment information
B) To collect comprehensive data to inform patient care and clinical decision-making
C) To complete hospital admission paperwork
D) To fulfill legal requirements only
Answer: B) To collect comprehensive data to inform patient care and clinical
decision-making
The primary purpose of a health assessment is to gather complete data to guide clinical
decision-making and patient care .
5. What is the difference between subjective and objective data ?
A) Subjective data are measurable; objective data are reported
B) Subjective data are reported by the patient; objective data are observed by the clinician
C) Subjective data are always more reliable than objective data
D) There is no difference in clinical practice
Answer: B) Subjective data are reported by the patient; objective data are observed
by the clinician
Subjective data come from the patient's report of symptoms and experiences. Objective
data are observable and measurable findings from the clinician's examination .
6. Which component of the mental status exam is most directly assessed by noting a
patient's slumped posture and lack of eye contact ?
,A) Thought content
B) Psychomotor behavior
C) Insight
D) Sensorium
Answer: B) Psychomotor behavior
Psychomotor behavior includes posture, eye contact, and motor activity. Slumped posture
and poor eye contact are objective observations of psychomotor changes in depression .
7. The term "anhedonia" refers to :
A) Lack of motivation
B) Inability to feel pleasure
C) Reduced speech
D) Emotional flattening
Answer: B) Inability to feel pleasure
Anhedonia is a core symptom of major depression and some psychotic disorders, defined
as the inability to experience pleasure from previously enjoyable activities .
8. A patient says, "I'm so sad, I've been crying every day." The NP observes a bright,
smiling face. This is called :
A) Labile affect
B) Incongruent affect
C) Blunted affect
D) Restricted affect
Answer: B) Incongruent affect
Incongruent affect occurs when the observed emotional expression does not match the
reported mood or verbal content .
9. The mnemonic "SIGECAPS" is used to assess :
A) Mania
B) Psychosis
, C) Depression
D) Anxiety
Answer: C) Depression
SIGECAPS stands for Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite,
Psychomotor, Suicidality—the symptoms assessed for major depressive disorder .
10. The NP asks a patient, "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed
envelope on the ground?" This assesses :
A) Abstract reasoning
B) Judgment
C) Memory
D) Attention
Answer: B) Judgment
Hypothetical scenarios test social judgment and problem-solving abilities .
11. Mood is best described as :
A) Objective and transient
B) Patient-reported and sustained
C) Always congruent with thought content
D) Measured only by observation
Answer: B) Patient-reported and sustained
Mood is the patient's reported internal emotional state over time, while affect is the
observed, fluctuating emotional expression .
12. Which ethical principle is most relevant when a PMHNP prescribes a medication with
known side effects that may impair driving, without discussing it ?
A) Beneficence
B) Nonmaleficence
C) Autonomy
D) Justice
Answer: C) Autonomy
Question Practice Test with Detailed Rationales for
Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
Below are 100 original practice questions styled after the NRNP 6635 Week 6 Midterm
Exam for Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning at Walden University. This guide
covers core domains including psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology, DSM-5-TR
diagnostic criteria, and clinical reasoning .
Section 1: Foundations & Diagnostic Reasoning (Questions 1–15)
1. Select the mental function that is most affected in mild cognitive impairment .
A) Executive function
B) Recent memory
C) Language
D) Visuospatial skills
Answer: B) Recent memory
Mild cognitive impairment primarily affects recent memory, making it difficult for individuals
to recall recent events or information. Other cognitive domains are relatively preserved .
2. Which theorist developed the eight stages of the psychosocial life cycle ?
A) Freud
B) Piaget
C) Erikson
D) Kohlberg
Answer: C) Erikson
Erik Erikson developed the eight stages of psychosocial development, providing a
framework for understanding developmental challenges across the lifespan .
,3. Select two causes of dissociative amnesia .
A) Sexual abuse
B) Head trauma
C) Partner betrayal
D) Substance intoxication
Answer: A) Sexual abuse AND C) Partner betrayal
Dissociative amnesia is typically triggered by psychological trauma or severe stress,
including sexual abuse and relationship betrayal .
4. What is the primary purpose of a comprehensive health assessment ?
A) To collect payment information
B) To collect comprehensive data to inform patient care and clinical decision-making
C) To complete hospital admission paperwork
D) To fulfill legal requirements only
Answer: B) To collect comprehensive data to inform patient care and clinical
decision-making
The primary purpose of a health assessment is to gather complete data to guide clinical
decision-making and patient care .
5. What is the difference between subjective and objective data ?
A) Subjective data are measurable; objective data are reported
B) Subjective data are reported by the patient; objective data are observed by the clinician
C) Subjective data are always more reliable than objective data
D) There is no difference in clinical practice
Answer: B) Subjective data are reported by the patient; objective data are observed
by the clinician
Subjective data come from the patient's report of symptoms and experiences. Objective
data are observable and measurable findings from the clinician's examination .
6. Which component of the mental status exam is most directly assessed by noting a
patient's slumped posture and lack of eye contact ?
,A) Thought content
B) Psychomotor behavior
C) Insight
D) Sensorium
Answer: B) Psychomotor behavior
Psychomotor behavior includes posture, eye contact, and motor activity. Slumped posture
and poor eye contact are objective observations of psychomotor changes in depression .
7. The term "anhedonia" refers to :
A) Lack of motivation
B) Inability to feel pleasure
C) Reduced speech
D) Emotional flattening
Answer: B) Inability to feel pleasure
Anhedonia is a core symptom of major depression and some psychotic disorders, defined
as the inability to experience pleasure from previously enjoyable activities .
8. A patient says, "I'm so sad, I've been crying every day." The NP observes a bright,
smiling face. This is called :
A) Labile affect
B) Incongruent affect
C) Blunted affect
D) Restricted affect
Answer: B) Incongruent affect
Incongruent affect occurs when the observed emotional expression does not match the
reported mood or verbal content .
9. The mnemonic "SIGECAPS" is used to assess :
A) Mania
B) Psychosis
, C) Depression
D) Anxiety
Answer: C) Depression
SIGECAPS stands for Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite,
Psychomotor, Suicidality—the symptoms assessed for major depressive disorder .
10. The NP asks a patient, "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed
envelope on the ground?" This assesses :
A) Abstract reasoning
B) Judgment
C) Memory
D) Attention
Answer: B) Judgment
Hypothetical scenarios test social judgment and problem-solving abilities .
11. Mood is best described as :
A) Objective and transient
B) Patient-reported and sustained
C) Always congruent with thought content
D) Measured only by observation
Answer: B) Patient-reported and sustained
Mood is the patient's reported internal emotional state over time, while affect is the
observed, fluctuating emotional expression .
12. Which ethical principle is most relevant when a PMHNP prescribes a medication with
known side effects that may impair driving, without discussing it ?
A) Beneficence
B) Nonmaleficence
C) Autonomy
D) Justice
Answer: C) Autonomy
