NSG 526 Exam 3
Clinical Modalities in Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing
2026/2027| Newly Released
50 Q & A, With Expert Rationales
Guaranteed Pass | Graded A+ | Wilkes University
Q1. A 7-year-old child in play therapy repeatedly buries a toy figure in sand. The therapist
interprets this as:
A. Random play with no clinical meaning
B. A sign the child is bored
C. Symbolic expression of a traumatic experience [CORRECT]
D. Evidence of intellectual disability
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because play therapy uses symbolic play to express experiences the child
cannot verbalize. Burying a figure often symbolizes loss, fear, or trauma.
Q2. A 4-year-old is referred for parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) due to disruptive
behavior. What is the primary focus of PCIT?
A. Coaching parents in real time to strengthen the parent-child relationship [CORRECT]
B. Individual cognitive restructuring for the child
C. Medication management
D. Family genogram construction
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because PCIT uses live coaching of parents to improve interaction patterns
and reduce disruptive behavior.
,Q3. A 78-year-old with mild cognitive decline presents with late-life depression. Which
adaptation of CBT is most appropriate?
A. Standard CBT without modification
B. Shortened sessions with concrete, present-focused goals [CORRECT]
C. Psychodynamic exploration of childhood
D. EMDR
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because CBT for older adults is adapted with concrete goals, shorter sessions,
and present-focused content to accommodate cognitive changes.
Q4. A therapist is using EMDR with a trauma survivor. Which phase comes immediately after
"assessment" in the EMDR protocol?
A. Closure
B. Desensitization [CORRECT]
C. Preparation
D. Reevaluation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because the EMDR protocol sequence is history-taking, preparation,
assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation.
Q5. A 10-year-old trauma survivor is treated with trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT). Which
component is central to TF-CBT?
A. Free association
B. Graded exposure and trauma narrative [CORRECT]
C. Miracle question
D. Genogram
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because TF-CBT uses trauma narration and graded exposure as core
components.
, Q6. A patient in existential therapy asks, "What is the point of anything if I will die?" This
reflects which ultimate concern?
A. Death [CORRECT]
B. Freedom
C. Isolation
D. Meaninglessness
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because Yalom's four ultimate concerns are death, freedom, isolation, and
meaninglessness. This patient's question centers on death.
Q7. A patient states, "I feel completely alone even with others around me." This reflects which
existential concern?
A. Death
B. Freedom
C. Meaninglessness
D. Existential isolation [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Correct because existential isolation is the sense of being fundamentally alone, even
in relationships.
Q8. A therapist responds to a patient with warmth, honesty, and nonjudgmental acceptance. This
reflects which Rogerian condition?
A. Accurate empathetic understanding
B. Unconditional positive regard [CORRECT]
C. Congruence
D. Cognitive restructuring
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because unconditional positive regard is nonjudgmental acceptance of the
patient.
Clinical Modalities in Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing
2026/2027| Newly Released
50 Q & A, With Expert Rationales
Guaranteed Pass | Graded A+ | Wilkes University
Q1. A 7-year-old child in play therapy repeatedly buries a toy figure in sand. The therapist
interprets this as:
A. Random play with no clinical meaning
B. A sign the child is bored
C. Symbolic expression of a traumatic experience [CORRECT]
D. Evidence of intellectual disability
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because play therapy uses symbolic play to express experiences the child
cannot verbalize. Burying a figure often symbolizes loss, fear, or trauma.
Q2. A 4-year-old is referred for parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) due to disruptive
behavior. What is the primary focus of PCIT?
A. Coaching parents in real time to strengthen the parent-child relationship [CORRECT]
B. Individual cognitive restructuring for the child
C. Medication management
D. Family genogram construction
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because PCIT uses live coaching of parents to improve interaction patterns
and reduce disruptive behavior.
,Q3. A 78-year-old with mild cognitive decline presents with late-life depression. Which
adaptation of CBT is most appropriate?
A. Standard CBT without modification
B. Shortened sessions with concrete, present-focused goals [CORRECT]
C. Psychodynamic exploration of childhood
D. EMDR
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because CBT for older adults is adapted with concrete goals, shorter sessions,
and present-focused content to accommodate cognitive changes.
Q4. A therapist is using EMDR with a trauma survivor. Which phase comes immediately after
"assessment" in the EMDR protocol?
A. Closure
B. Desensitization [CORRECT]
C. Preparation
D. Reevaluation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because the EMDR protocol sequence is history-taking, preparation,
assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation.
Q5. A 10-year-old trauma survivor is treated with trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT). Which
component is central to TF-CBT?
A. Free association
B. Graded exposure and trauma narrative [CORRECT]
C. Miracle question
D. Genogram
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because TF-CBT uses trauma narration and graded exposure as core
components.
, Q6. A patient in existential therapy asks, "What is the point of anything if I will die?" This
reflects which ultimate concern?
A. Death [CORRECT]
B. Freedom
C. Isolation
D. Meaninglessness
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because Yalom's four ultimate concerns are death, freedom, isolation, and
meaninglessness. This patient's question centers on death.
Q7. A patient states, "I feel completely alone even with others around me." This reflects which
existential concern?
A. Death
B. Freedom
C. Meaninglessness
D. Existential isolation [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Correct because existential isolation is the sense of being fundamentally alone, even
in relationships.
Q8. A therapist responds to a patient with warmth, honesty, and nonjudgmental acceptance. This
reflects which Rogerian condition?
A. Accurate empathetic understanding
B. Unconditional positive regard [CORRECT]
C. Congruence
D. Cognitive restructuring
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because unconditional positive regard is nonjudgmental acceptance of the
patient.
