NR 605 Final Exam 2026/2027 | Diagnosis & Management in
Psychiatric-Mental Health Across the Lifespan I | 300 Practice
Questions, Answers & Rationales
1. A patient reports depressed mood, loss of interest, fatigue, poor
concentration, and insomnia for 3 weeks. Which additional finding
most strongly supports a major depressive episode?
A. Clinically significant distress or impairment
B. A recent disagreement with a friend
C. A family history of anxiety
D. Preference for sleeping alone
Answer: A
Rationale: Major depressive episodes require clinically significant
distress or impairment associated with the symptom pattern.
2. Which symptom is most characteristic of major depressive
disorder?
A. Anhedonia
B. Flight of ideas
C. Increased goal-directed activity
D. Decreased need for sleep without fatigue
Answer: A
Rationale: Anhedonia, or diminished interest or pleasure, is a core
depressive symptom.
3. Before prescribing an antidepressant for a patient with depressive
symptoms, which history is particularly important?
A. History of mania or hypomania
B. Favorite foods
C. Hand dominance
D. Childhood sports participation
Answer: A
Rationale: Screening for past mania or hypomania helps identify
bipolar spectrum illness and reduces the risk of inappropriate
antidepressant monotherapy.
,4. Which symptom is most characteristic of mania?
A. Increased goal-directed activity
B. Hypersomnia with fatigue
C. Psychomotor slowing
D. Social withdrawal
Answer: A
Rationale: Mania commonly includes elevated or irritable mood,
increased energy, decreased need for sleep, pressured speech, and
increased goal-directed activity.
5. A patient has elevated mood, decreased need for sleep,
grandiosity, pressured speech, and marked occupational impairment
for 10 days. Which episode is most likely?
A. Manic episode
B. Hypomanic episode
C. Major depressive episode
D. Adjustment disorder
Answer: A
Rationale: The severity and marked functional impairment are
consistent with mania rather than hypomania.
6. Which feature distinguishes hypomania from mania?
A. Hypomania does not cause marked functional impairment
B. Hypomania always requires hospitalization
C. Hypomania includes psychosis by definition
D. Hypomania requires severe occupational disruption
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypomania is a distinct period of elevated or irritable
mood and increased activity that is less severe and does not cause
marked impairment or require hospitalization because of severity.
7. Which disorder is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic
attacks and persistent concern about additional attacks?
A. Panic disorder
B. Social anxiety disorder
,C. Specific phobia
D. Adjustment disorder
Answer: A
Rationale: Recurrent unexpected panic attacks followed by
persistent concern or behavioral change are characteristic of panic
disorder.
8. Which symptom commonly occurs during a panic attack?
A. Palpitations
B. Progressive memory loss
C. Persistent euphoric mood for months
D. Compulsive counting
Answer: A
Rationale: Palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath,
chest discomfort, and fear of dying are common panic symptoms.
9. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety
and worry occurring across multiple areas for at least:
A. 6 months
B. 1 week
C. 2 weeks
D. 1 month
Answer: A
Rationale: Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive anxiety
and worry about multiple events or activities occurring more days
than not for at least 6 months.
10. Which condition is characterized by fear of being negatively
evaluated by others?
A. Social anxiety disorder
B. Panic disorder
C. Delirium
D. Bipolar disorder
Answer: A
, Rationale: Social anxiety disorder involves marked fear or anxiety
about social situations involving possible scrutiny or negative
evaluation.
11. A patient has an intense fear of flying and avoids airplanes
whenever possible. Which diagnosis should be considered?
A. Specific phobia
B. Generalized anxiety disorder
C. Schizophrenia
D. Persistent depressive disorder
Answer: A
Rationale: A circumscribed fear of a specific object or situation with
avoidance is characteristic of specific phobia.
12. Which feature is central to obsessive-compulsive disorder?
A. Obsessions and/or compulsions
B. Persistent elevated mood
C. Progressive cognitive decline
D. Hallucinations caused by delirium
Answer: A
Rationale: OCD is characterized by intrusive obsessions,
compulsions, or both that are time-consuming or cause clinically
significant distress or impairment.
13. A patient repeatedly checks the door 30 times before leaving
because of intrusive fears that the house will be burglarized. The
checking behavior is best described as:
A. Compulsion
B. Delusion
C. Hallucination
D. Flashback
Answer: A
Rationale: A repetitive behavior performed in response to an
obsession or according to rigid rules is a compulsion.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Across the Lifespan I | 300 Practice
Questions, Answers & Rationales
1. A patient reports depressed mood, loss of interest, fatigue, poor
concentration, and insomnia for 3 weeks. Which additional finding
most strongly supports a major depressive episode?
A. Clinically significant distress or impairment
B. A recent disagreement with a friend
C. A family history of anxiety
D. Preference for sleeping alone
Answer: A
Rationale: Major depressive episodes require clinically significant
distress or impairment associated with the symptom pattern.
2. Which symptom is most characteristic of major depressive
disorder?
A. Anhedonia
B. Flight of ideas
C. Increased goal-directed activity
D. Decreased need for sleep without fatigue
Answer: A
Rationale: Anhedonia, or diminished interest or pleasure, is a core
depressive symptom.
3. Before prescribing an antidepressant for a patient with depressive
symptoms, which history is particularly important?
A. History of mania or hypomania
B. Favorite foods
C. Hand dominance
D. Childhood sports participation
Answer: A
Rationale: Screening for past mania or hypomania helps identify
bipolar spectrum illness and reduces the risk of inappropriate
antidepressant monotherapy.
,4. Which symptom is most characteristic of mania?
A. Increased goal-directed activity
B. Hypersomnia with fatigue
C. Psychomotor slowing
D. Social withdrawal
Answer: A
Rationale: Mania commonly includes elevated or irritable mood,
increased energy, decreased need for sleep, pressured speech, and
increased goal-directed activity.
5. A patient has elevated mood, decreased need for sleep,
grandiosity, pressured speech, and marked occupational impairment
for 10 days. Which episode is most likely?
A. Manic episode
B. Hypomanic episode
C. Major depressive episode
D. Adjustment disorder
Answer: A
Rationale: The severity and marked functional impairment are
consistent with mania rather than hypomania.
6. Which feature distinguishes hypomania from mania?
A. Hypomania does not cause marked functional impairment
B. Hypomania always requires hospitalization
C. Hypomania includes psychosis by definition
D. Hypomania requires severe occupational disruption
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypomania is a distinct period of elevated or irritable
mood and increased activity that is less severe and does not cause
marked impairment or require hospitalization because of severity.
7. Which disorder is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic
attacks and persistent concern about additional attacks?
A. Panic disorder
B. Social anxiety disorder
,C. Specific phobia
D. Adjustment disorder
Answer: A
Rationale: Recurrent unexpected panic attacks followed by
persistent concern or behavioral change are characteristic of panic
disorder.
8. Which symptom commonly occurs during a panic attack?
A. Palpitations
B. Progressive memory loss
C. Persistent euphoric mood for months
D. Compulsive counting
Answer: A
Rationale: Palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath,
chest discomfort, and fear of dying are common panic symptoms.
9. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety
and worry occurring across multiple areas for at least:
A. 6 months
B. 1 week
C. 2 weeks
D. 1 month
Answer: A
Rationale: Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive anxiety
and worry about multiple events or activities occurring more days
than not for at least 6 months.
10. Which condition is characterized by fear of being negatively
evaluated by others?
A. Social anxiety disorder
B. Panic disorder
C. Delirium
D. Bipolar disorder
Answer: A
, Rationale: Social anxiety disorder involves marked fear or anxiety
about social situations involving possible scrutiny or negative
evaluation.
11. A patient has an intense fear of flying and avoids airplanes
whenever possible. Which diagnosis should be considered?
A. Specific phobia
B. Generalized anxiety disorder
C. Schizophrenia
D. Persistent depressive disorder
Answer: A
Rationale: A circumscribed fear of a specific object or situation with
avoidance is characteristic of specific phobia.
12. Which feature is central to obsessive-compulsive disorder?
A. Obsessions and/or compulsions
B. Persistent elevated mood
C. Progressive cognitive decline
D. Hallucinations caused by delirium
Answer: A
Rationale: OCD is characterized by intrusive obsessions,
compulsions, or both that are time-consuming or cause clinically
significant distress or impairment.
13. A patient repeatedly checks the door 30 times before leaving
because of intrusive fears that the house will be burglarized. The
checking behavior is best described as:
A. Compulsion
B. Delusion
C. Hallucination
D. Flashback
Answer: A
Rationale: A repetitive behavior performed in response to an
obsession or according to rigid rules is a compulsion.
