NSG 527 FINAL EXAM -
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, THEORIES, &
ADVANCED CLINICAL MODALITIES
1. A patient experiencing acute psychosis is determined to have an overactive mesolimbic
dopamine pathway. Which symptom is most likely associated with this specific
neurobiological finding?
A. Tardive dyskinesia and involuntary movements
B. Alogia and affective flattening
C. Cognitive impairment and poor executive function
D. Auditory hallucinations and delusions
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The mesolimbic pathway is primarily associated with the
positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions, due to dopamine
hyperactivity.
,2. In Bowenian Family Systems Theory, when a two-person relationship experiences high
tension and brings in a third party to stabilize the system, this process is known as:
A. Enmeshment
B. Triangulation
C. Differentiation of self
D. Emotional cutoff
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Triangulation occurs when a third person is brought into a
dyadic conflict to decrease anxiety and shift the focus away from the primary conflict.
3. According to Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Theory, the ‘Cognitive Triad’ in depression consists of
negative views about:
A. Self, world, and future
B. Biological, psychological, and social factors
C. Past, present, and future
D. Family, work, and health
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Beck’s Cognitive Triad describes a pattern of negative thinking
regarding one’s self, the surrounding world, and the future, which maintains depressive
states.
, 4. During a group therapy session, a member realizes that others share similar struggles and
feelings, which reduces their sense of isolation. Irvin Yalom refers to this curative factor as:
A. Universality
B. Altruism
C. Imparting information
D. Catharsis
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Universality is the recognition that one is not alone in their
problems and that others have similar experiences, providing significant relief.
5. Which Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) module focuses on the skill of ‘Radical
Acceptance’ to help patients tolerate painful events when they cannot change the situation?
A. Emotion Regulation
B. Mindfulness
C. Distress Tolerance
D. Interpersonal Effectiveness
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Distress Tolerance skills, including Radical Acceptance, help
patients survive immediate crises and accept reality without judgment when it cannot be
changed.
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, THEORIES, &
ADVANCED CLINICAL MODALITIES
1. A patient experiencing acute psychosis is determined to have an overactive mesolimbic
dopamine pathway. Which symptom is most likely associated with this specific
neurobiological finding?
A. Tardive dyskinesia and involuntary movements
B. Alogia and affective flattening
C. Cognitive impairment and poor executive function
D. Auditory hallucinations and delusions
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The mesolimbic pathway is primarily associated with the
positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions, due to dopamine
hyperactivity.
,2. In Bowenian Family Systems Theory, when a two-person relationship experiences high
tension and brings in a third party to stabilize the system, this process is known as:
A. Enmeshment
B. Triangulation
C. Differentiation of self
D. Emotional cutoff
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Triangulation occurs when a third person is brought into a
dyadic conflict to decrease anxiety and shift the focus away from the primary conflict.
3. According to Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Theory, the ‘Cognitive Triad’ in depression consists of
negative views about:
A. Self, world, and future
B. Biological, psychological, and social factors
C. Past, present, and future
D. Family, work, and health
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Beck’s Cognitive Triad describes a pattern of negative thinking
regarding one’s self, the surrounding world, and the future, which maintains depressive
states.
, 4. During a group therapy session, a member realizes that others share similar struggles and
feelings, which reduces their sense of isolation. Irvin Yalom refers to this curative factor as:
A. Universality
B. Altruism
C. Imparting information
D. Catharsis
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Universality is the recognition that one is not alone in their
problems and that others have similar experiences, providing significant relief.
5. Which Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) module focuses on the skill of ‘Radical
Acceptance’ to help patients tolerate painful events when they cannot change the situation?
A. Emotion Regulation
B. Mindfulness
C. Distress Tolerance
D. Interpersonal Effectiveness
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Distress Tolerance skills, including Radical Acceptance, help
patients survive immediate crises and accept reality without judgment when it cannot be
changed.
