HESI Mental Health Exam
Study Guide – Practice
Questions with Verified
Answers with Rationales.
GRADED A+. Latest 2026/2027
Update
Which is the usual age of onset for cyclothymic disorders?
a. Childhood
b. Adolescence
c. Middle adulthood
d. Late adulthood
b. Adolescence
Cyclothymic disorders usually begin in adolescence or early adulthood. They
typically begin later than childhood but earlier than middle or late adulthood.
A nurse is caring for a patient with severe depression. After 4 months of
treatment, the nurse tells the patient, "Depression is an illness that is beyond a
person ' s voluntary control." In which phase of treatment is this an appropriate
statement by the nurse?
a. Acute phase
b. Orientation phase
c. Continuation phase
d. Maintenance phase
,c. Continuation phase
There are three phases of treatment for depression: the acute phase, the
continuation phase, and the maintenance phase. After 4 to 9 months of
treatment, patients are in the continuation phase, during which they are
educated about depression in hopes that they will better adhere to the
treatment plan and avoid relapse. Explaining depression is beyond a person's
control is an example of this teaching. The other stages of treatment have
different goals, such as the acute phase (the initial 12 weeks) in which the
patient is given interventions to simply reduce symptoms of depression. The
orientation phase is not one of the three phases of the treatment. After 1 year
of treatment, patients are typically in the maintenance phase, where they may
already be well educated about depression and the treatment focuses on
avoiding further complications from relapse of the illness.
Which is the recommended starting dose of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors in older adult patients with depression?
a. The lowest adult dose
b. The normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
d. Half the normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
Older adult patients with depression are frequently prescribed selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors as a first-line treatment. They must be
administered half the lowest adult dose to avoid adverse effects from drug
accumulation. The lowest adult dose, normal adult dose, and half the normal
adult should not be administered to older adult patients. These doses would
cause severe toxic effects in older adult patients.
A nurse is performing an assessment of a child diagnosed with disinhibited
social engagement disorder. Which behavior would the nurse expect to find in
the child?
a. The child throws stones at strangers.
b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
c. The child cries when touched by a stranger.
d. The child hides when a stranger approaches.
,b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
Disinhibited social engagement disorder is characterized by absence of normal
fear toward strangers and unresponsiveness to separation from a caregiver. The
child demonstrates no normal fear of strangers. A child throwing stones at a
stranger is indicative of antisocial behavior. A child crying when being touched
by a stranger demonstrates sensitive behavior. A child hiding when approached
by a stranger reflects shyness and is not a symptom of disinhibited social
engagement disorder.
Which nursing intervention is an appropriate response to anosognosia in a
patient with schizophrenia experiencing psychosis?
a. Establish trust and rapport.
b. Convey empathy and support.
c. Reduce excessive stimulation.
d. Explain the diagnosis in a confident manner.
a. Establish trust and rapport.
Anosognosia is common in patients with severe mental illness and is not denial
or resistance to accepting the diagnosis. The patient cannot recognize they
have an illness. It is important for the nurse to establish trust and rapport with
the patient, because this will allow the nurse to provide treatment and
implement interventions to help the patient remain safe and gain awareness of
their illness. Empathy and support are not helpful if the patient does not
recognize that they are ill. Reducing excessive stimulation is an intervention for
a patient who is restless or agitated. Explaining the diagnosis in a confident
manner will not promote the patient's awareness of their illness.
Which nursing intervention is appropriate to include in the care plan for a
patient with psychosis experiencing poor self-esteem?
a. Introduce pet therapy.
b. Seek areas of commonality.
c. Engage regularly with the patient.
d. Involve the patient in planning treatment.
, c. Engage regularly with the patient.
Engaging regularly with a patient with poor self-esteem is important in
establishing a trusting nurse-patient relationship. Pet therapy may help
patients who avoid interaction with peers increase their comfort level with
other people. Seeking areas of commonality is beneficial when a patient is
experiencing denial, such as in the case of anosognosia. Involving the patient in
planning treatment is beneficial when the patient is nonadherent or resistant
to treatment.
Which action is included in the nursing plan of care for a patient diagnosed
with panic-level anxiety who is exhibiting severe hyperactivity?
a. Place the patient in seclusion.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
c. Help the patient identify the source of anxiety.
d. Communicate using simple, loud, clear statements.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
The nursing care plan for a patient diagnosed with anxiety who is exhibiting
severe hyperactivity is to attend to the patient's physical needs. Severe
hyperactivity is characteristic of a panic level of anxiety and attending to
physical needs such as elimination, fluids, and nutrition are important.
Seclusion should only be initiated after all other interventions have been tried
and are unsuccessful. Helping a patient identify the source of anxiety is more
effective for a patient experiencing mild to moderate anxiety. When the nurse
is communicating with a patient experiencing severe anxiety, a low-pitched
voice should be used.
Which defense mechanism has an adaptive use?
a. Splitting
b. Undoing
c. Projection
d. Conversion
b. Undoing
Study Guide – Practice
Questions with Verified
Answers with Rationales.
GRADED A+. Latest 2026/2027
Update
Which is the usual age of onset for cyclothymic disorders?
a. Childhood
b. Adolescence
c. Middle adulthood
d. Late adulthood
b. Adolescence
Cyclothymic disorders usually begin in adolescence or early adulthood. They
typically begin later than childhood but earlier than middle or late adulthood.
A nurse is caring for a patient with severe depression. After 4 months of
treatment, the nurse tells the patient, "Depression is an illness that is beyond a
person ' s voluntary control." In which phase of treatment is this an appropriate
statement by the nurse?
a. Acute phase
b. Orientation phase
c. Continuation phase
d. Maintenance phase
,c. Continuation phase
There are three phases of treatment for depression: the acute phase, the
continuation phase, and the maintenance phase. After 4 to 9 months of
treatment, patients are in the continuation phase, during which they are
educated about depression in hopes that they will better adhere to the
treatment plan and avoid relapse. Explaining depression is beyond a person's
control is an example of this teaching. The other stages of treatment have
different goals, such as the acute phase (the initial 12 weeks) in which the
patient is given interventions to simply reduce symptoms of depression. The
orientation phase is not one of the three phases of the treatment. After 1 year
of treatment, patients are typically in the maintenance phase, where they may
already be well educated about depression and the treatment focuses on
avoiding further complications from relapse of the illness.
Which is the recommended starting dose of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors in older adult patients with depression?
a. The lowest adult dose
b. The normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
d. Half the normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
Older adult patients with depression are frequently prescribed selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors as a first-line treatment. They must be
administered half the lowest adult dose to avoid adverse effects from drug
accumulation. The lowest adult dose, normal adult dose, and half the normal
adult should not be administered to older adult patients. These doses would
cause severe toxic effects in older adult patients.
A nurse is performing an assessment of a child diagnosed with disinhibited
social engagement disorder. Which behavior would the nurse expect to find in
the child?
a. The child throws stones at strangers.
b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
c. The child cries when touched by a stranger.
d. The child hides when a stranger approaches.
,b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
Disinhibited social engagement disorder is characterized by absence of normal
fear toward strangers and unresponsiveness to separation from a caregiver. The
child demonstrates no normal fear of strangers. A child throwing stones at a
stranger is indicative of antisocial behavior. A child crying when being touched
by a stranger demonstrates sensitive behavior. A child hiding when approached
by a stranger reflects shyness and is not a symptom of disinhibited social
engagement disorder.
Which nursing intervention is an appropriate response to anosognosia in a
patient with schizophrenia experiencing psychosis?
a. Establish trust and rapport.
b. Convey empathy and support.
c. Reduce excessive stimulation.
d. Explain the diagnosis in a confident manner.
a. Establish trust and rapport.
Anosognosia is common in patients with severe mental illness and is not denial
or resistance to accepting the diagnosis. The patient cannot recognize they
have an illness. It is important for the nurse to establish trust and rapport with
the patient, because this will allow the nurse to provide treatment and
implement interventions to help the patient remain safe and gain awareness of
their illness. Empathy and support are not helpful if the patient does not
recognize that they are ill. Reducing excessive stimulation is an intervention for
a patient who is restless or agitated. Explaining the diagnosis in a confident
manner will not promote the patient's awareness of their illness.
Which nursing intervention is appropriate to include in the care plan for a
patient with psychosis experiencing poor self-esteem?
a. Introduce pet therapy.
b. Seek areas of commonality.
c. Engage regularly with the patient.
d. Involve the patient in planning treatment.
, c. Engage regularly with the patient.
Engaging regularly with a patient with poor self-esteem is important in
establishing a trusting nurse-patient relationship. Pet therapy may help
patients who avoid interaction with peers increase their comfort level with
other people. Seeking areas of commonality is beneficial when a patient is
experiencing denial, such as in the case of anosognosia. Involving the patient in
planning treatment is beneficial when the patient is nonadherent or resistant
to treatment.
Which action is included in the nursing plan of care for a patient diagnosed
with panic-level anxiety who is exhibiting severe hyperactivity?
a. Place the patient in seclusion.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
c. Help the patient identify the source of anxiety.
d. Communicate using simple, loud, clear statements.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
The nursing care plan for a patient diagnosed with anxiety who is exhibiting
severe hyperactivity is to attend to the patient's physical needs. Severe
hyperactivity is characteristic of a panic level of anxiety and attending to
physical needs such as elimination, fluids, and nutrition are important.
Seclusion should only be initiated after all other interventions have been tried
and are unsuccessful. Helping a patient identify the source of anxiety is more
effective for a patient experiencing mild to moderate anxiety. When the nurse
is communicating with a patient experiencing severe anxiety, a low-pitched
voice should be used.
Which defense mechanism has an adaptive use?
a. Splitting
b. Undoing
c. Projection
d. Conversion
b. Undoing
