Psych Exam 1 Practice Questions
-exam elaborations with 100% verified answer/solutions-
Excel & Succeed - academic year (2026-2027)
74 Q&A
1. According to Erikson's developmental theory, when planning care for
a 47-year-old client, which developmental task should a nurse identify as
appropriate for this client?
A. To develop a basic trust in others
B. To achieve a sense of self-confidence and recognition from others
C. To reflect back on life events to derive pleasure and meaning
D. To achieve established life goals and consider the welfare of future
generations
ANS: D
The nurse should identify that an appropriate developmental task for a 47-
year-old client would be to achieve established life goals and consider the
welfare of future generations. According to Erikson, the client would be in the
generativity versus stagnation stage of development.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Planning
2. A jilted college student is admitted to a hospital following a suicide
attempt and states, "No one will ever love a loser like me." According to
Erikson's theory of personality development, a nurse should recognize a
deficit in which developmental stage?
A. Trust versus mistrust
B. Initiative versus guilt
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Ego integrity versus despair
ANS: C
The nurse should recognize that the client who states, "No one will ever love a
,loser like me." has not adequately completed the intimacy versus isolation
stage of development. The intimacy versus isolation stage is presumed to
occur in young adulthood between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The major
developmental task in this stage is to establish intense, lasting relationships or
commitment to another person, cause, institution, or creative effort.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
3. According to Peplau, a nurse who provides an abandoned child with
parental guidance and praise following small accomplishments is
serving which therapeutic role?
A. The role of technical expert
B. The role of resource person
C. The role of surrogate
D. The role of leader
ANS: C
The nurse who provides an abandoned child with parental guidance and
praise is serving the role of the surrogate according to Peplau's interpersonal
theory. A surrogate serves as a substitute for another person—in this case,
the child's parent.
PTS: 1 REF: 45
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Implementation
4. A nurse directs the client interaction and plans for interventions to
achieve client goals. According to Peplau's framework for
psychodynamic nursing, what therapeutic role is this nurse assuming?
A. The role of technical expert
B. The role of resource person
C. The role of teacher
D. The role of leader
ANS: D
The nurse who directs client interaction and plans for interventions is
assuming the role of leader. According to Peplau, a leader directs the nurse-
client interaction and ensures that actions are taken to achieve goals.
PTS: 1 REF: 45
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Implementation
,5. When assessing clients, a psychiatric nurse should understand that
psychoanalytic theory is based on which underlying concept?
A. A possible genetic basis for the client problems
B. The structure and dynamics of the personality
C. Behavioral responses to stressors
D. Maladaptive cognitions
ANS: B
The nurse should understand that psychoanalytic theory is based on the
underlying concepts of the structure and dynamics of personality.
Psychoanalytic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and explains the
structure of personality in three different components: the id, ego, and
superego.
PTS: 1 REF: 33
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
6. A physically healthy, 35-year-old single client lives with parents who
provide total financial support. According to Erikson's theory, which
developmental task should a nurse assist the client to accomplish?
A. Establishing the ability to control emotional reactions
B. Establishing a strong sense of ethics and character structure
C. Establishing and maintaining self-esteem
D. Establishing a career, personal relationships, and societal
connections
ANS: D
The nurse should assist the client in establishing a career, personal
relationships, and societal connections. According to Erikson, non-
achievement in the generativity versus stagnation stage results in self-
absorption, including withdrawal from others and having no capacity for giving
of the self to others.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
7. A 6-year-old boy uses his father's flashlight to explore his 3-year-old
sister's genitalia. According to Freud, in which stage of psychosocial
development should a nurse identify this behavior as normal?
A. Oral
B. Anal
, C. Phallic
D. Latency
ANS: C
The nurse should identify this behavior as normal because the 6-year-old
client who focuses on genital organs is in the phallic stage of Freud's stages of
psychosexual stages of development. Children in the phallic stage of
development focus on genital organs and develop a sense of sexual identity.
Identification with the same-sex parent also occurs at this stage.
PTS: 1 REF: 36
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
8. A married, 26-year-old client works as a schoolteacher. She and her
husband have just had their first child. A nurse should recognize that
this client is successfully accomplishing which stage of Erikson's
developmental theory?
A. Industry versus inferiority
B. Identity versus role confusion
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Generativity versus stagnation
ANS: C
The nurse should recognize that a 26-year-old client who is married and has a
child has successfully accomplished the intimacy versus isolation stage of
Erikson's developmental theory. The intimacy versus isolation stage of young
adulthood involves forming lasting relationships. Achievement of this tasks
results in the capacity for mutual love and respect.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
9. A 10-year-old child wins the science fair competition and is chosen as
a cheerleader for the basketball team. A nurse should recognize that this
child is in the process of successfully accomplishing which stage of
Erikson's developmental theory?
A. Industry versus inferiority
B. Identity versus role confusion
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Generativity versus stagnation
-exam elaborations with 100% verified answer/solutions-
Excel & Succeed - academic year (2026-2027)
74 Q&A
1. According to Erikson's developmental theory, when planning care for
a 47-year-old client, which developmental task should a nurse identify as
appropriate for this client?
A. To develop a basic trust in others
B. To achieve a sense of self-confidence and recognition from others
C. To reflect back on life events to derive pleasure and meaning
D. To achieve established life goals and consider the welfare of future
generations
ANS: D
The nurse should identify that an appropriate developmental task for a 47-
year-old client would be to achieve established life goals and consider the
welfare of future generations. According to Erikson, the client would be in the
generativity versus stagnation stage of development.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Planning
2. A jilted college student is admitted to a hospital following a suicide
attempt and states, "No one will ever love a loser like me." According to
Erikson's theory of personality development, a nurse should recognize a
deficit in which developmental stage?
A. Trust versus mistrust
B. Initiative versus guilt
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Ego integrity versus despair
ANS: C
The nurse should recognize that the client who states, "No one will ever love a
,loser like me." has not adequately completed the intimacy versus isolation
stage of development. The intimacy versus isolation stage is presumed to
occur in young adulthood between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The major
developmental task in this stage is to establish intense, lasting relationships or
commitment to another person, cause, institution, or creative effort.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
3. According to Peplau, a nurse who provides an abandoned child with
parental guidance and praise following small accomplishments is
serving which therapeutic role?
A. The role of technical expert
B. The role of resource person
C. The role of surrogate
D. The role of leader
ANS: C
The nurse who provides an abandoned child with parental guidance and
praise is serving the role of the surrogate according to Peplau's interpersonal
theory. A surrogate serves as a substitute for another person—in this case,
the child's parent.
PTS: 1 REF: 45
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Implementation
4. A nurse directs the client interaction and plans for interventions to
achieve client goals. According to Peplau's framework for
psychodynamic nursing, what therapeutic role is this nurse assuming?
A. The role of technical expert
B. The role of resource person
C. The role of teacher
D. The role of leader
ANS: D
The nurse who directs client interaction and plans for interventions is
assuming the role of leader. According to Peplau, a leader directs the nurse-
client interaction and ensures that actions are taken to achieve goals.
PTS: 1 REF: 45
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Implementation
,5. When assessing clients, a psychiatric nurse should understand that
psychoanalytic theory is based on which underlying concept?
A. A possible genetic basis for the client problems
B. The structure and dynamics of the personality
C. Behavioral responses to stressors
D. Maladaptive cognitions
ANS: B
The nurse should understand that psychoanalytic theory is based on the
underlying concepts of the structure and dynamics of personality.
Psychoanalytic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and explains the
structure of personality in three different components: the id, ego, and
superego.
PTS: 1 REF: 33
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
6. A physically healthy, 35-year-old single client lives with parents who
provide total financial support. According to Erikson's theory, which
developmental task should a nurse assist the client to accomplish?
A. Establishing the ability to control emotional reactions
B. Establishing a strong sense of ethics and character structure
C. Establishing and maintaining self-esteem
D. Establishing a career, personal relationships, and societal
connections
ANS: D
The nurse should assist the client in establishing a career, personal
relationships, and societal connections. According to Erikson, non-
achievement in the generativity versus stagnation stage results in self-
absorption, including withdrawal from others and having no capacity for giving
of the self to others.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
7. A 6-year-old boy uses his father's flashlight to explore his 3-year-old
sister's genitalia. According to Freud, in which stage of psychosocial
development should a nurse identify this behavior as normal?
A. Oral
B. Anal
, C. Phallic
D. Latency
ANS: C
The nurse should identify this behavior as normal because the 6-year-old
client who focuses on genital organs is in the phallic stage of Freud's stages of
psychosexual stages of development. Children in the phallic stage of
development focus on genital organs and develop a sense of sexual identity.
Identification with the same-sex parent also occurs at this stage.
PTS: 1 REF: 36
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
8. A married, 26-year-old client works as a schoolteacher. She and her
husband have just had their first child. A nurse should recognize that
this client is successfully accomplishing which stage of Erikson's
developmental theory?
A. Industry versus inferiority
B. Identity versus role confusion
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Generativity versus stagnation
ANS: C
The nurse should recognize that a 26-year-old client who is married and has a
child has successfully accomplished the intimacy versus isolation stage of
Erikson's developmental theory. The intimacy versus isolation stage of young
adulthood involves forming lasting relationships. Achievement of this tasks
results in the capacity for mutual love and respect.
PTS: 1 REF: 40
KEY: Cognitive Level: Application | Integrated Process: Assessment
9. A 10-year-old child wins the science fair competition and is chosen as
a cheerleader for the basketball team. A nurse should recognize that this
child is in the process of successfully accomplishing which stage of
Erikson's developmental theory?
A. Industry versus inferiority
B. Identity versus role confusion
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Generativity versus stagnation
