ATI RN Mental Health Proctored Exam
– Complete Practice Questions &
Rationales 2026
Question 1
A client with somatic symptom disorder repeatedly reports severe
pain with no physical cause. The nurse's most therapeutic
response is:
A. "Your pain is not real. You need to accept that."
B. "I understand you are in pain. Let's talk about how you are
feeling."
C. "You need to stop focusing on your pain."
D. "Why do you keep complaining about pain?"
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Acknowledging the client's experience while addressing
underlying emotions is therapeutic. Dismissing the pain (A), telling
the client to stop focusing (C), or asking "why" (D) are not
therapeutic and can damage the nurse-client relationship.
Question 2
A client with conversion disorder reports inability to move their
legs, but neurological examination reveals no physical cause. The
nurse should:
,A. Challenge the client's symptoms
B. Focus on the client's feelings and provide support
C. Ignore the client's symptoms
D. Encourage the client to walk
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Conversion disorder involves physical symptoms without
organic cause, often related to psychological conflict. Focusing on
feelings and providing support is therapeutic. Confrontation or
ignoring symptoms is not therapeutic.
Question 3
A client diagnosed with factitious disorder (Munchausen
syndrome) is admitted to the unit. Which behavior would the
nurse expect?
A. The client is seeking financial compensation
B. The client fabricates or induces symptoms to assume the
sick role
C. The client has a psychotic disorder
D. The client is malingering for external gain
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Factitious disorder involves deliberate fabrication of
physical or psychological symptoms to assume the sick role. Unlike
malingering, there is no external incentive such as financial gain.
,Question 4
A client with dissociative identity disorder (DID) has multiple
distinct personality states. Which nursing intervention is most
appropriate?
A. Focus on one personality state and ignore the others
B. Establish a trusting, non-judgmental therapeutic
relationship
C. Confront the client about the validity of the identities
D. Treat each personality state differently
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Establishing a trusting, non-judgmental relationship is
essential for clients with dissociative identity disorder.
Confrontation or focusing on one identity is not therapeutic.
Question 5
A client with dissociative amnesia is unable to remember events
surrounding a traumatic incident. The nurse should:
A. Try to help the client recover memories
B. Provide a safe, supportive environment
C. Tell the client to try harder to remember
D. Refer the client for hypnosis immediately
*Correct Answer: B. *
, Rationale: Providing a safe, supportive environment is the priority
for clients with dissociative amnesia. Trying to force memory
recovery can be re-traumatizing.
Question 6
Which of the following is NOT a symptom of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)?
A. Binge eating and purging
B. Flashbacks and nightmares
C. Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli
D. Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response
*Correct Answer: A. *
Rationale: Binge eating and purging are symptoms of bulimia
nervosa, not PTSD. PTSD symptoms include re-experiencing
(flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance, and hyperarousal.
Question 7
A client with a history of trauma is using the defense mechanism
of dissociation. The nurse should recognize that dissociation
involves:
A. A disruption in consciousness, memory, or identity
B. Denial of reality
– Complete Practice Questions &
Rationales 2026
Question 1
A client with somatic symptom disorder repeatedly reports severe
pain with no physical cause. The nurse's most therapeutic
response is:
A. "Your pain is not real. You need to accept that."
B. "I understand you are in pain. Let's talk about how you are
feeling."
C. "You need to stop focusing on your pain."
D. "Why do you keep complaining about pain?"
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Acknowledging the client's experience while addressing
underlying emotions is therapeutic. Dismissing the pain (A), telling
the client to stop focusing (C), or asking "why" (D) are not
therapeutic and can damage the nurse-client relationship.
Question 2
A client with conversion disorder reports inability to move their
legs, but neurological examination reveals no physical cause. The
nurse should:
,A. Challenge the client's symptoms
B. Focus on the client's feelings and provide support
C. Ignore the client's symptoms
D. Encourage the client to walk
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Conversion disorder involves physical symptoms without
organic cause, often related to psychological conflict. Focusing on
feelings and providing support is therapeutic. Confrontation or
ignoring symptoms is not therapeutic.
Question 3
A client diagnosed with factitious disorder (Munchausen
syndrome) is admitted to the unit. Which behavior would the
nurse expect?
A. The client is seeking financial compensation
B. The client fabricates or induces symptoms to assume the
sick role
C. The client has a psychotic disorder
D. The client is malingering for external gain
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Factitious disorder involves deliberate fabrication of
physical or psychological symptoms to assume the sick role. Unlike
malingering, there is no external incentive such as financial gain.
,Question 4
A client with dissociative identity disorder (DID) has multiple
distinct personality states. Which nursing intervention is most
appropriate?
A. Focus on one personality state and ignore the others
B. Establish a trusting, non-judgmental therapeutic
relationship
C. Confront the client about the validity of the identities
D. Treat each personality state differently
*Correct Answer: B. *
Rationale: Establishing a trusting, non-judgmental relationship is
essential for clients with dissociative identity disorder.
Confrontation or focusing on one identity is not therapeutic.
Question 5
A client with dissociative amnesia is unable to remember events
surrounding a traumatic incident. The nurse should:
A. Try to help the client recover memories
B. Provide a safe, supportive environment
C. Tell the client to try harder to remember
D. Refer the client for hypnosis immediately
*Correct Answer: B. *
, Rationale: Providing a safe, supportive environment is the priority
for clients with dissociative amnesia. Trying to force memory
recovery can be re-traumatizing.
Question 6
Which of the following is NOT a symptom of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)?
A. Binge eating and purging
B. Flashbacks and nightmares
C. Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli
D. Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response
*Correct Answer: A. *
Rationale: Binge eating and purging are symptoms of bulimia
nervosa, not PTSD. PTSD symptoms include re-experiencing
(flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance, and hyperarousal.
Question 7
A client with a history of trauma is using the defense mechanism
of dissociation. The nurse should recognize that dissociation
involves:
A. A disruption in consciousness, memory, or identity
B. Denial of reality
